Weather Modification Becomes The Spearhead Of The Commemoration Of The Independence Day Of The Republic Of Indonesia At IKN

Weather Modification at IKN (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The implementation of the 79th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia in the capital city of the archipelago is a manifestation of the government's seriousness in moving the State Capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan. As the Malay saying "Once the screen develops, it never recedes to the shore".

For this reason, careful and measurable preparation is the key to the success of holding the independence ceremony in the capital city of Nusantara, including efforts to control the weather that the government continues to intensify to date.

Uncertain weather, sometimes extreme rain and hot heat, is a challenge in itself. This potential can not only disrupt the course of the ceremony, but also hinder infrastructure development in the capital city of the archipelago, as well as public health to project workers.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) received a special assignment from the government to carry out weather modification operations in one command line with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Acting Deputy for Weather Modification of BMKG Tri Handoko Seto said weather operations were an effort to control the potential for rain. If heavy rain occurs throughout the day, the main infrastructure development process for the capital city of the archipelago will not run optimally, including a series of independence day ceremonies.

BMKG recorded normal data on rainfall for 30 years (1991--2020) it is known that the rain pattern in the capital city of Nusantara has the characteristics of rain with an intensity above 150 millimeters per month that occurs throughout the year. Even observations show that rain can occur in the morning, evening, evening, and early morning.

For this reason, BMKG assesses the need to increase weather modification operations from previously carried out only in the morning and afternoon, but it must be carried out for up to 24 hours.

The weather modification operation was carried out for 24 hours without stopping around the Makassar Strait, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, Paser Regency, North Penajam Paser, and Mahakam Ulu as the buffer for the capital city of the archipelago which became an upwind area or the direction of the wind of air.

The selection of the seeding location is so that the potential for the rainy cloud does not enter and continues to increase rainfall in the development center area including the Presidential Palace, Airport, toll roads to the core area of the government center (KIPP) and the Plaza Ceremony where the flag ceremony is held.

Quoted from ANTARA, BMKG flew two Cessna Caravan 208B aircraft with the PK-SNG code and PK SNK belonging to Smart Cakrawala Aviation to intercept the incoming rainy cloud in the Nusantara Capital area.

In total, throughout the BMKG weather modification operation in the capital city of Nusantara, around 213 flight sorties have been seeded and spent salt or sodium chloride (NaCl) reaching 200 tons into cumulus rain clouds.

As a result, in the period 4--18 July 2024, the success ratio of weather modification operations reached 70 percent or in 29 hours of rain out of a total of 186 operating hours.

After 24 hours of air operations carried out on 19 July--2 August 2024, the success ratio reached 97 percent or only 6 hours of rain out of a total of 354 hours of operation. These results indicate that the operation to modify the weather is effective in controlling rain and will continue to be carried out until an undetermined deadline, as stated by Seto while leading the flight of weather modification operations in East Kalimantan, Saturday.

The assessment was also strengthened by a team of reporters from the ANTARA News Agency who were tasked with overseeing the news of a series of preparations for the independence day directly in the capital city of Nusantara. They felt the positive impact of the weather modification. The weather conditions of morning and afternoon rainfall and in the afternoon rain-forming clouds moved away from the skies of the archipelago and the rain began to pour again at night. This condition is what is trying to be maintained for at least until the entire series of independence commemoration activities are completed.

The reason is that the current weather conditions are considered somewhat better than in mid-May-June, which was reported to have rained intensity in a long duration to increase the volume of the Sepaku River to inundate residential areas close to the IKN development center. Even the Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono had stated that the high intensity of the rain had affected the acceleration of infrastructure development in the National Capital City so that extra weather control efforts were needed.

Karhutla

On the other hand, this weather modification operation is also carried out to maximize efforts to deal with forest and land fires (karhutla) that are prone to hit East Kalimantan.

Based on inventory data reported by the Operations Control Center of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) in the January--July period, the number of hotspots spread in East Kalimantan reached 9,148 points.

The majority of these hotspots are in the districts of East Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara, which if not handled optimally have the potential to expand to other areas as the dry season is hit by strong winds that are still ongoing today.

Therefore, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government has set an emergency alert status for forest and land fires and the impact of fire smoke until November 2024.

To mitigate the potential for forest and land fires, 111 tons of NaCl and 8 tons of calcium oxide (CaO) were used as material for semai in the weather modification operation carried out by the BNPB team.

Head of BNPB Suharyanto said that hundreds of tons of NaCl as material semai was used during the continuous weather modification operation, starting from last July 15 to several areas in East Kalimantan.

BNPB also deployed four helicopters for patrols and water spraying from the air or water bombing to East Kalimantan. It is even ready to add a helicopter fleet in the event of an escalation of forest and land fires incident ahead of the independence ceremony.

Currently, 40 water pump machines and five additional water reservoirs have also been handed over by BNPB to maximize land watering work by the forest and land fires task force team in East Kalimantan in mineral and peat land areas so that they are not flammable. In addition to damaging the environmental ecosystem, fire smoke also threatens the health of the community's respiratory tract and participants in the independence anniversary ceremony.

Now no more than 168 hours remaining time for the 79th Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia this historic year to be held.

Ceremony and security officers, including a number of invited guests, reportedly began arriving at the capital city of the archipelago to take part in the independence ceremony. The Presidential Staff Office announced that a total of 1,500 state guests from various circles and as many as 400 local residents consisting of community leaders, religious leaders, traditional leaders, ulama, and colleagues were invited on this occasion.

For this reason, all the resources and efforts that the Government has deployed to make the entire series of activities that were first held outside Jakarta a success are from the challenges of the weather.

The reading ceremony for the Proclamation of Independence in the capital city of the archipelago will be led by Indonesian President Joko Widodo accompanied by First Lady Iriana, while Vice President Ma Ruf Amin and Mrs. Wury Ma'ruf Amin carry out a ceremony at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

This is also the final ceremony for Joko Widodo and Ma'ruf Amin to serve as ceremony inspectors because their term of office as President and Vice President will end in October 2024 and be replaced by Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka as President and Vice President elected 2024-2029.

Therefore, support and prayers from all Indonesian people are a necessity to fulfill the government's maximum efforts in preparing for the commemoration ceremony of the 79th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence at IKN, so that it is safe and running smoothly.