Jakarta Prepares for Artificial Rain Operations Amid Prolonged Drought, With Conditions

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has revealed the strategy prepared to suppress the impact of a prolonged drought in Jakarta. One of them is through weather modification operations (OMC) or artificial rain, but there are conditions. Head of BMKG, Teuku Faisal Fathani, said that the implementation of OMC in Jakarta is situational. OMC is carried out if a prolonged drought occurs in Jakarta. "It's situational in Jakarta. So BMKG, in collaboration with BPBD DKI Jakarta, situationally assesses the conditions in Jakarta. When indeed the condition has been a long period without rain, then weather modification operations are carried out," said Faisal after a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (28/7/2026). He emphasized that the presence of clouds is the main condition for carrying out weather modification. Without clouds, artificial rain cannot be done. "Provided that clouds are still present. Because without clouds, we cannot modify, so that later it can make Jakarta cooler," he said. In addition to utilizing OMC, BMKG has also installed Ground Based Generators (GBG) in several tall buildings in Jakarta. This technology is used to help trigger rain when there are clouds that are considered to have the potential to produce rain. "Because like this, in several tall buildings in Jakarta, in collaboration with BMKG and BPBD DKI Jakarta, we have also installed what is called a Ground Based Generator." "So when there are clouds that are healthy enough to rain on Jakarta, then water vapor or flares will be released to then cause rain," continued Faisal. Faisal said that this step is also an effort to maintain air quality during a prolonged drought. According to him, air quality in Jakarta generally deteriorates if it does not rain for two to three weeks. "This is usually if for 2-3 weeks there is no rain at all, the air quality in Jakarta also decreases. So one of the efforts is by making rain when the conditions allow in Jakarta," he said.