The Indonesia Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) is ready to implement weather modification technology to anticipate flood threats in Jakarta, stated Chief of Assessment and Application of Rainmaking Technology Tri Handoko Seto.
“Jakarta still needs weather modification to prevent flooding,” he stated here on Thursday, further emphasizing that Jakartas infrastructure is not yet ready to face the rainy season.
The BPPT currently awaits the Jakarta provincial governments go-ahead to apply the technology. “We are still waiting the request from the provincial government,” stated the man who received his doctorate from the University of Tokyo, Japan.
Seto emphasized that the necessary preparations for the application of the weather modification technology should be carried out well in advance.
“So, we can learn about the weather, and we can predict the peak of the rainy season,” he affirmed.
The weather modification technology was applied during the last rainy season after Jakarta was hit by major flooding. At that time, the BPPT successfully managed to decrease the rainfall by up to 30 per cent.
The technology works by diverting rain clouds to prevent them from dispersing rain in the Jakarta region. The BPPT had diverted rain clouds from Jakarta to the Sunda Strait last year.
“Last year, it cost around Rp13 billion to carry out weather modification for a period of a month and a half,” he added.
