ANN/THE STAR – Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said that it conducted a 24-hour weather modification operation (OMC) to manipulate the potential for rain clouds in the new capital city Nusantara (IKN) for the National Day celebrations on August 17.
Acting Deputy for Weather Modification at BMKG Tri Handoko Seto said the non-stop 24-hour OMC is the first in Indonesia and in the world.
The weather modification aims to support the acceleration of development in IKN’s several supporting infrastructures, including the Presidential Palace, the IKN VVIP Airport, and the toll road to the IKN central government area (KIPP), he added.
Team of experts from BMKG recorded normal rainfall data for 30 years (1991-2020) and monitored rainfall pattern in IKN for more than a year, then came up with appropriate adjustment solutions.
Based on these records, BMKG assessed the need to increase the OMC, which was earlier carried out in the morning and afternoon, to be conducted for up to 24 hours, he noted.
According to Seto, to carry out the OMC, BMKG experts used two aircraft with 213 flights to spray 200 tonnes of sodium chloride and calcium oxide over accumulated rain clouds.
