Three Aircraft Conduct Weather Modification Operations in Riau

Pekanbaru - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut), and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) have deployed three aircraft to carry out Weather Modification Operations (OMC) in Riau Province.

The Head of Emergency and Logistics at the Riau Regional Disaster Mitigation and Firefighting Agency (BPBD Damkar), Jim Gafur, stated that the OMC activities are ongoing to moisten the land in order to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla).

“Currently, there are three aircraft conducting OMC in Riau, namely two from BNPB and one from Kemenhut in collaboration with BMKG,” he said in Pekanbaru on Tuesday.

The first aircraft used for OMC in Riau is a Cessna C208 PK-JVH from BNPB. This aircraft has been conducting OMC in Riau for 21 days, with a total of 43 sorties and 43 tons of salt seeded.

Next is the Cassa 212-200 A-2107 aircraft from Kemenhut and BMKG. This aircraft has been conducting OMC for four days, with a total of six sorties and 4.8 tons of salt seeded.

“OMC will continue to be carried out in Riau whenever there are potential clouds, both during the day and at night,” he added.

This OMC activity is the second phase. Similar activities were previously conducted at the beginning of February.

“OMC is focused on the eastern coastal areas of Riau, namely in Bengkalis Regency, Indragiri Hilir, Siak, Pelalawan, and Dumai City,” he said.