BNPB Deploys One Tonne of Salt for Cloud Seeding to Combat West Aceh Forest Fires

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has continued to disperse salt into the skies over West Aceh Regency as part of a Weather Modification Operation (OMC) to help put out forest and land fires (karhutla) occurring in the area. “The OMC from BNPB is still ongoing,” said Teuku Ronal Nehdiansyah, Acting Head of the West Aceh Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), in Meulaboh on Thursday. He explained that the OMC is being carried out as a preparedness effort and intervention to mitigate the potential for extreme weather in the region. The aircraft was recorded as starting its engine at 14:44 local time (LT) and taking off (Actual Time of Departure/ATD) at 14:52 LT. After flying for approximately two hours, the plane landed (Actual Time of Arrival/ATA) at 16:44 LT and switched off its engine at 16:49 LT. The mission was manned by a professional crew comprising pilot/captain Capt Rangga and First Officer (FO) Arrafi, Flight Scientists Gilang and Tasya, along with seeding team members Khalis and Herman. He added that the seeding of one tonne of salt (NaCl) is expected to control or distribute rainfall more evenly and safely, thereby minimising the risk of flood or extreme drought disasters along the west coast of Aceh. Teuku Ronal stated that the West Aceh BPBD continues to coordinate with the BNPB Flight Scientist team and BMKG to monitor the future effectiveness of the weather modification operation’s results.