Minister of Public Works Prepares These Measures to Face the Threat of Prolonged Dry Season Due to El Niño

Regarding mitigation against the El Niño disaster, we have already begun preparations. The Ministry of Public Works has started, and just a few days ago, I visited the Gajah Mungkur Dam to see its condition firsthand. There, I was informed that all dams are currently being filled to capacity,” said Dody to reporters at the Ministry of Public Works office in South Jakarta on Friday (10/4/2026).

He explained that once full, the dams can irrigate surrounding rice fields even without rain. He added that if the dry season extends beyond September-October, alternative measures will need to be considered, including weather modification.

“So if it goes beyond that time, beyond September-October, we must use other methods, such as conducting weather modification operations to rain on the upstream areas of the dams,” he stated.

Dody emphasised that he does not want to perform weather modification in the dam areas themselves. According to him, the initial step should be from the upstream regions so that the water flows into the dams.

“So, we rain on the upstream areas to ensure the water still flows into the dam. We do not conduct weather modification operations at the dams because we fear missing the target,” he clarified.

“If we miss, it will cause even more problems. So it’s better to rain on the upstream to let the water flow into the dam. That’s the approach we’re discussing with BMKG and their team,” he said.