Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has carried out a weather modification operation (WMO) in South Kalimantan to reduce high-intensity rainfall and minimize flooding that continues to affect several districts and cities in the province.
BNPB Director of Emergency Resource Support Agus Riyanto said on Friday evening that the operation was launched following the provincial government’s declaration of an emergency alert status, with a number of districts and cities, including Balangan District, imposing emergency response measures.
“Since local governments in South Kalimantan have declared emergency alert and response statuses, the weather modification operation is being funded through ready-to-use funds,” Riyanto said.
He explained that the operation is being conducted in coordination with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the Indonesian Air Force.
According to Riyanto, the operation will run for five days starting Friday night, in line with task instructions, and will be evaluated twice daily or adjusted based on operational needs.
“At the post at Syamsudin Noor Air Base in Banjarbaru, the operational map is overlaid with data on flood-affected areas,” he said.
The map is used to determine targeted areas where rainfall is expected to be temporarily suppressed.
Riyanto added that the weather modification team traveled from Juanda Airport in Surabaya, taking around 1.5 hours to reach Syamsudin Noor Air Base in Banjarbaru.
“The team will begin operations immediately tonight. We hope this technology can reduce rainfall and help clear cloud cover, allowing floodwaters in affected areas of South Kalimantan to recede more quickly,” he said.
He also urged residents to follow instructions from authorities, particularly in the event of evacuation orders, and to avoid relying on unverified information.
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This news was published on Antaranews.com with a title: BNPB conducts weather modification to cut heavy rain in S. Kalimantan
