BNPB Ensures Weather Modification Operations In Jabodetabek Until Tomorrow

UNSPLASH/Alex Lvrs ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has ensured that weather modification operations to prevent hydrometeorological disasters in Jabodetabek will be carried out until Friday (11/7), although it is possible to continue when there is the potential for high rainfall.

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari at the OMC Command Post, Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta, said that the weather modification operation was carried out in collaboration with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to reduce the intensity of rain in Jabodetabek as part of efforts to suppress potential disasters in Jabodetabek.

"That until when we will discuss this. What is certain is that until today we are still carrying out 24-hour operations. What will happen tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, we will continue to coordinate with the BMKG. We will carry out this operation until the 11th," said Abdul Muhari as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 10.

So far, 18 sorties or flights have been carried out to carry the material for the semai Sodium Choride (NaCL) to reduce the potential for rain clouds to enter the Jakarta and West Java areas. The semai flight itself was carried out on the north and south coasts of West Java.

He said that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow there is an estimated increase in rainfall, but his party together with the BMKG will analyze whether the surface area in Jabodetabek is able to respond better.

This analysis is needed because currently eastern Indonesia is also starting to increase atmospheric wave activity which refers to high rainfall.

BMKG Weather Modification Governance Director Budi Harsoyo said that tropical atmospheric waves triggered high rainfall in southern Indonesia, in Java, in Bali and several other areas. Floods that have occurred recently in the Greater Jakarta area, he explained, are the impact of this phenomenon.

The weather modifications carried out in the last few days alone showed a significant reduction in rainfall. BMKG itself predicts that on Friday or Saturday (12/7) there will be a potential for an increase in rainfall.

"If we estimate that the rainfall can be handled by the surface properly, it may not be necessary to continue. But we will see again how threatened and how strong the surface accepts it will be the basis for us to decide whether or not this needs to be continued," he explained.