A thick haze, caused by fires to clear land for palm oil plantations, continued blanketing the city of Padang, West Sumatra in Indonesia on Wednesday (September 18).

Similar haze also affected the Dharmasraya Regency, causing the school to be closed, according to a statement made by the head of Dharmasraya District Government Public Relations Budi Waluyo.

"This is indeed very unhealthy and the signs for smoke will soon disappear," Waluyo said.

The choking smog has enveloped parts of Southeast Asia in the past two weeks.