Anticipating Extreme Rain In Jabodetabek, Weather Modifications Are Again Done

JAKARTA - In collaboration with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), the Indonesian Air Force (AU) is again carrying out a weather modification technique (TMC). TMC is carried out to anticipate the occurrence of high rainfall in the Jabodetabek area which eventually causes flooding.

TMC with the process of seeding salt in the clouds was carried out in three sorties, consisting of two sorties from the Cassa A-2105 Air Squadron 4 Air Force Base Abdulrachman Saleh flown by Captain Pnb Wanto above an altitude of 9 thousand to 10 thousand feet carrying 800 kilograms of salt.

While one sortie was carried out using a CN-295 A-2901 Air Squadron 2 Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base flown by Captain Pnb Iskandar above an altitude of 10 thousand to 12 thousand feet carrying 2.4 tons of salt.

"Currently, the focal point of salt seeding is on the East coast of Lampung, the Sunda Strait, Ujung Kulon to the southern waters of Banten province. After seeding, the process of decreasing the rain takes about one to six hours," said the Field Coordinator of the BPPT team, Dwipa Wirawan Soejoed in a statement. he wrote, Tuesday, February 23.

This weather modification activity is an effort of the Indonesian Air Force in collaboration with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to reduce rainfall.

Previously reported, the Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency Dwikorita Karnawati asked residents in the Jabodetabek area to be aware of heavy rains on February 23 and 24. He said rain with heavy intensity is expected to occur evenly.

"We still have to be vigilant. Then the next alert will be on February 23 and 24," said Dwikorita as quoted from the BMKG YouTube account, Sunday, February 21.

He explained that, in the next week, Jabodetabek area generally has the potential for light to moderate intensity rain. This is because most areas in Indonesia, including Jabodetabek, are in the middle of the peak rainy season which will last until early March.

Even so, he estimates that on February 21, the intensity of rain will be low until February 22. "However, February 22 in the southern part (Jabodetabek, red), the intensity of rain began to form even in mild conditions," he explained.

Complementing Dwikorita's statement, the Head of the Public Meteorology Center of BMKG Fachri Radjab said that on February 23, the rain with moderate to heavy intensity would occur within a day.

"The 23rd day of rain intensity 24 hours, moderate to heavy intensity. So, we need to be alert, especially in the south of Jabodetabek. There is a potential for flooding," he said.