REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) has seeded 108.6 tonnes of salt (NaCL) above Jakarta'sky to modify the weather in the capital city since January 26. BNPB conducted three flights on Sunday.
"The seeds are spread using 36 flights. 24 flights using Hercules c-130 and the rests are using Casa 212-200," the Spokesman of BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said on Monday.
The first flight spread the salt in the cell of cumulonimbus cloud in East Jatiluhur to Lembang and also in Northern Sea of Indramayu Beach.
The second flight seeded the salt in the cell of cumulonimbus cloud in Cikotok, while the third flight spread the salt in Purwakarta, Cikampek and Subang
BNPB cooperates with Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) and Indonesian Armed Forces.
Based on evaluation, the effort has successfully alternated rainfall in Jakartya. Compared to the historical average rainfall in Jakarta, during the weather modification, the amount of rainfall is decreasing.
He explained that the initial target was to decrease rain by 30 percent. BNPB will soon conduct full evaluation to determine whether to continue the operation or to move it to other areas.
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