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BNPB intensifies cloud seeding efforts to fight fires

(Tribun/Doddy Vladimir)The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has used hundreds of tons of salt to intensify its cloud seeding operation to help stimulate rainfall in Sumatra and Kalimantan, an agency spokesman said on Saturday

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Sat, October 31, 2015

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BNPB intensifies cloud seeding efforts to fight fires (Tribun/Doddy Vladimir) (Tribun/Doddy Vladimir)

(Tribun/Doddy Vladimir)

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has used hundreds of tons of salt to intensify its cloud seeding operation to help stimulate rainfall in Sumatra and Kalimantan, an agency spokesman said on Saturday.

BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that 284.9 tons of salt had been utilized in the operation to help tackle the fires that have caused the worst haze in Indonesia's history.

"To speed up and increase the rain intensity, the government has intensified the artificial rain operation, especially this time where there are many clouds," he said as quoted by state news agency Antara. He added that the increased efforts were in accordance with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's wishes.

The toxic smog has covered parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan in the past three months, killing at least 16 people and severely affecting 500,000.

Sutopo added that the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicted that the rain intensity had increased between Oct 26 and 31 in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

BMKG also reported that based on Himawari Satellite images the haze distribution had become smaller.

Sutopo said that there were around 354,191 hectares of land burned in Papua, mostly in Merauke and Mappi regencies. (rin)(+)

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