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View all search resultsJakarta claims cloud seeding help reducing rainfall
The provincial administration has launched two phases of weather modification operations throughout January that, according to data from city’s disaster agency, helped to reduce more than 30 percent of rainfall intensity in Jakarta.
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Make it rain: Personnel prepare materials for cloud seeding on Jan. 24, 2026 during a weather modification operation in Jakarta that aimed to prevent flooding caused by heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. (Antara/Jakarta Disaster Management Agency/Handout)
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akarta has claimed to have reduced the intensity of rainfall over the past few days thanks to a series of weather modification efforts aimed at curbing flood risks, but the measure has raised questions over its sustainability and the lack of long-term flood mitigation measures.
In the past few weeks, the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has dispersed tonnes of sodium chloride (salt) and calcium oxide (quicklime) into clouds to divert them from triggering heavy rainfall in the city, that had caused flooding in several parts of the city since early January.
The cloud seeding operation was launched in two phases, with the first one running between Jan. 16 to 27. The Jakarta provincial administration then extended the measures from Jan. 30 to Feb. 8.
During the first phase, at least 34 flight sorties were launched, with salt and quicklime dispersed at altitudes between 900 and 3,700 meters above sea level over the northern and southern parts of Jakarta.
The Jakarta BPBD claimed cloud seeding between Jan. 16 to 27 had reduced rainfall intensity in the city by 34 percent. The agency also opened the possibility of extending the operation during periods of predicted extreme rainfall.
“The weather modification operations would continue by taking into account the weather conditions and results of the on-field assessment,” Jakarta BPBD acting head Isnawa Adji said on Tuesday.
Read also: Jakarta expands cloud seeding to curb flood risks
