BNPB: Effective Weather Modification Operation to Press Rainfall in Sumatra

The Inspector General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Irham Waroihan, escorted the third phase of humanitarian assistance for the Kementan Peduli program that arrived in Aceh.

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) assessed that weather modification operations (OMC) were effective in reducing the intensity of rainfall in Aceh, West Sumatra, as well as North Sumatra and its surroundings.

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, explained that during the almost one-month implementation of weather modification operations, the intensity of rainfall in the three provinces affected by floods and landslides had significantly decreased.

"The number of days without rain in the last month has been recorded more than days with rain," said Abdul Muhari at a press conference at the emergency disaster response media center, which was attended from Jakarta, Thursday.

However, Abdul admitted that heavy rain still occurred in several places and had triggered a subsequent flood in a number of areas, one of which was Tanjung Raya District, Agam Regency, West Sumatra.

BNPB assessed that this condition is very likely to occur because the current weather conditions are still very dynamic, especially in most of the areas of Sumatra which are currently in the peak phase of the rainy season.

However, Abdul ensured that a joint team of officers from BNPB, BMKG, and TNI would continue to try to control the potential rain through the weather modification operation scheme.

"Based on the information we received until today, there were no additional victims or new impacts outside of the flood and landslide events that occurred about a month ago," he said, while expressing appreciation for the cooperation and mutual assistance of all parties, from local governments, volunteers, community organizations, to the community that is actively involved in post-disaster handling and recovery efforts.

Based on reports compiled by the BNPB Operations Control Center as of Thursday afternoon, flash flood and landslides in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra resulted in 489,864 people being displaced at a number of evacuation points scattered in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, for the deceased there were 1,135 people or an increase of six people from the previous number. The missing victims in the search were 173 people or one less than before.

With details of Aceh as many as 503 people died, 31 people were missing in the search and 466,667 people were displaced.

North Sumatra has 371 people died, lost in the search for 70 people, and 13,262 people were displaced. Then West Sumatra has 261 people died, lost 62 people and displaced 9,935 people.