JAKARTA (Bernama): Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has launched cloud seeding operations in East and West Java to divert rainfall from densely populated areas towards open waters.
In a statement, its spokesperson Abdul Muhari said the operations were carried out as the country braces for potential extreme weather following last week’s deadly floods in Bali and East Nusa Tenggara.
"Emergency response in both provinces has stabilised, but atmospheric conditions are shifting towards East and West Java, raising concerns about potential extreme weather,” he stated
He stressed that the severe flooding in Bali and East Nusa Tenggara left 23 dead, eight missing, three injured, and more than 11,000 affected, with over 300 houses damaged or washed away.
In East Java, Abdul Muhari said operations started on Sept 13, covering Lamongan, Bojonegoro, Tuban, and Banyuwangi, and will run until Sept 16, with possible extensions based on ongoing monitoring.
In West Java, operations began on Sept 14, covering Pandeglang in Banten and Bogor, which neighbours the Greater Jakarta area, where data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) indicated rainfall was reduced by 31 per cent.
BMKG forecasts heavy rain in Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, and Yogyakarta from Sept 12-14, with further rainfall expected in Central and East Java from Sept 15-18.
Indonesia’s rainy season is arriving earlier than usual, with above-average rainfall expected in West Java, parts of Central Java, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, though overall conditions are predicted to be generally normal, the agency added. - Bernama
