Indonesia Launches Cloud Seeding Operation to Combat Worsening Haze in Riau
Jakarta, July 20 (VOM-Voice of Malaysia): Indonesia will begin cloud seeding operations on Monday in an urgent effort to tackle worsening forest and land fires in Riau province, officials announced over the weekend.
Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), said the cloud seeding campaign is scheduled to run for at least seven days and may be extended depending on conditions on the ground.
“A Cessna aircraft is set to depart from Pondok Cabe Airport in Banten province on Sunday. Cloud seeding operations using sodium chloride (NaCl) will commence Monday to stimulate rainfall over fire-affected areas,” Abdul stated in an official release.
The initiative follows alarming data from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), which detected 1,208 hotspots across Sumatra as of Sunday—with 586 concentrated in Riau alone. According to local broadcaster Metro TV, haze from the fires has already drifted into parts of neighboring Malaysia.
In response, BNPB has deployed a Bell 206 helicopter for aerial monitoring and is transferring an Mi-8MSB-T water-bombing helicopter from Palembang to Riau. Ground teams have also been mobilized, including disaster response officers, military personnel, police units, firefighters, and volunteers.
The haze crisis is a recurring environmental and public health issue in the region, often driven by illegal slash-and-burn practices used to clear land for agriculture. Authorities hope the artificial rain will suppress the fires and reduce the haze threatening both Indonesia and its neighbors.
Environmental experts warn that with the ongoing dry season and El Niño weather pattern, the risk of wildfires could remain high in the coming weeks, making swift mitigation efforts critical.
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