Wait For Aba-aba Acting Governor Of DKI, BPDB Ready To Sue The Rain Clouds Entering Jakarta Prevent Extreme Weather At The End Of 2022

Illustration of seeding salt in the air suppresses the potential for heavy rain. (Between-Mushaful)

JAKARTA - The DKI Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) will intercept rain clouds entering Jakarta. The step, which is part of the weather modification technique (TMC), is to reduce the potential for hydrometeorological disasters from the impact of heavy rains accompanied by strong winds in the capital city during the 2023 New Year holiday.

Head of DKI Jakarta BPBD Isnawa Adji said the TMC was in the form of a jumping process, to deal with extreme weather forecasts in Jakarta from 25 December 2022-1 January 2023.

"Based on the results of coordination with the Indonesian Air Force and BRIN (National Research and Innovation Agency), there are two handling patterns for TMC. First, by 'jumping process' or preaturing rain clouds to be intercepted into the Jakarta area, so that it becomes cloudy and rain that occurs is only just drizzling," he said in a written statement, Wednesday, December 28.

Isnawa explained that the second step to modify the weather was the pattern of competition, by burning salt seeded materials and disrupting cloud growth by adding to the condensation core.

TMC, he said, would only be effective from the morning until around 17.00 WIB with effective results that would occur within four to 15 hours.

Isnawa said that TMC is ready to be carried out in Jakarta if there is an order from the Acting Governor of DKI Heru Budi in the form of setting an emergency alert status. Regarding this, the DKI BPBD and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) expressed their preparedness.

"In principle, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is ready and ready to face the threat of potential hydrometeorological disasters ahead of the turn of the year," he said, quoted by Antara.

In the TMC process, added Isnawa, it will involve several aircraft with pilots from Wings Air 1 Squadron 2 of the Indonesian Air Force based at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta.

The types of aircraft involved, namely CN 212 which can carry 800 kilograms (kg) of salt seeded material with the spread done manually.

Meanwhile, Cassa can load 2.4 tons and it will take two hours to prepare it in the form of consuls. "And for Hercules, it can contain at least five tons of material in the same way," he said.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) released the potential for extreme weather in parts of Indonesia during December 28-30, 2022.

This extreme weather has the opportunity to cause hydrometeorological disasters, in the form of floods, puddles and landslides.

Based on Impact-Based Forecast (IBF) impact-based forecasts, the designated areas have ALERT status during that date period, namely parts of Banten, West Java, DKI Jakarta, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The impacts that can occur include the volume of river flows that have the potential to increase drastically so that it can cause potential flooding and flash floods.

In addition, it is very likely that the heavy rain causes potential landslides, rock avalanches or soil erosion, especially in areas of highlands and hills and mountains.

BMKG appealed to local governments and communities living along watersheds and hilly areas to be more vigilant and increase preparedness. Especially if heavy rains occur in a fairly long intensity.