TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government’s plan to intentionally manipulate the weather, or weather modification, in an attempt to reduce the rainfall intensity across the Jakarta Greater Area (Jabodetabek) is met with criticism from the Head of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan), Halimurrahman.

“To only apply it for cases like the recent extreme rainfall over Jakarta needs to be carefully studied,” said the LAPAN Head as Tempo reached him on Thursday, January 2.

He explained that there is a vast and intense amount of convection clouds in the form of Cumulus and Cumulonimbus within the unstable atmospheric layer. Furthermore, Halimurrahman said the cold surge phenomenon from Asia to Indonesia has different dynamics compared to normal convective clouds as there is intense cold air coming from the north.

“Other aspects from applying weather modification is that it changes the balance of nature,” Halimurrahman warned.

Previously, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) together with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), and Military, are set to utilize weather modification technology (TMC) to stop future floods due to extreme rainfall.

Another criticism came from an atmospheric science expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Armi Susandi. Armi says the weather modification plan could be successful if the convection cloud activities that caused the heavy rainfall in the Jakarta Greater Area took place over the ocean.

However, Armi strongly reminded that the weather modification could prove difficult if the localized convection activities take place directly over populated areas in the Jakarta Greater Area.

ANWAR SISWADI (CONTRIBUTOR)