Smog Covers Several Indonesian Regions, BRIN Talks of Weather Modification Plan

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Land and forest fires have covered several Indonesian regions with smog over the past few days. Other than Jambi, Palangkaraya, and Banjarmasin as reported by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the monitoring app also disclosed that the air quality in several other regions was categorized as unhealthy.

Budi Harsoyo, the coordinator of the Weather Modification Technology Management Laboratory of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), said that there were no plans to carry out weather modification (TMC) in several areas polluted by smoke.

“During the peak of the dry season like now, TMC results will not be optimal because there is no chance of rain every day,” Budi said via a short text to Tempo on September 27, 2023.

The latest weather modification effort was exercised in Riau on September 12-22 by BMKG, the Indonesian Navy (TNI AU), BRIN, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). 

Budi explained that the total of 16 groundwater level stations installed in seven regencies of Riau Province, the groundwater level in each district has risen since September 19, 2023. However, Meranti Islands Regency and Pelalawan Regency are still in a vulnerable condition.

In addition, only eight hotspots were detected with a confidence level of more than 80 percent on September 13 and 14, 2023. “After that, no hotspots were observed,” the report said.

MARIA FRANSISCA LAHUR

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