Indonesia Deploys Weather Modification Operations to Mitigate Heavy Rainfall in West Java

JAKARTA, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Indonesia has initiated cloud-seeding operations to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall and reduce the risk of flooding in Sukabumi and Cianjur, West Java, as part of an emergency response to rain-related disasters.

National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Abdul Muhari said three operations were carried out on Wednesday, dispersing a total of three tonnes of salt powder over designated areas in the province's skies.

"Each mission targets rain-potential clouds in the southwest to northwest regions, at altitudes of 10,000 to 11,000 feet, using 1,000 kilogrammes of NaCl powder," he said in a statement on Thursday.

He explained that the operation focuses on targeting rain-potential clouds moving towards high-risk areas, aiming to redistribute rainfall to less critical zones and reduce the risk of flooding in vulnerable areas.

The operations, coordinated from a command post at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta, will run 24/7 with both day and night flights, using a total of 50 tonnes of salt powder.

The BNPB is collaborating with the country's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, the Indonesian Air Force, and the West Java provincial government, with missions carried out using a Cessna Caravan aircraft.

Meanwhile, the floods and landslides that struck Sukabumi on December 3 have claimed 10 lives, with two people still missing, according to the agency.

The disaster has affected over 20,600 people, with 3,464 displaced across 184 villages in 39 sub-districts. It has also caused severe damage to local infrastructure, including 1,605 homes with light damage, 1,829 with moderate damage, and 2,058 with severe damage.

-- BERNAMA