Jakarta – The Indonesian government continues to intensify its Weather Modification Operations (OMC) to prevent further flooding in Aceh Province and several areas on Sumatra Island. The government is taking this step in response to the continued high rainfall in January 2026 and the environmental conditions that have not yet fully recovered from the major floods at the end of 2025. Through this policy, the government seeks to protect public safety while ensuring the continuity of the recovery process in disaster-affected areas.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) are actively conducting Weather Modification Operations using specialized aircraft to seed clouds. The implementing team sprinkles seeding materials such as sodium chloride onto potential clouds in waters and specific areas to induce rain before the clouds move inland. By mid-January 2026, BNPB had deployed hundreds of flight sorties in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, which are priority areas for response.
Abdul Muhari, Head of the National Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), emphasized that the government is implementing the OMC based on weather analysis and early warnings from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). He explained that the government is utilizing weather modification as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of extreme rainfall that could trigger further flooding.
“This effort helps the government ensure the smooth distribution of aid, accelerate the construction of temporary housing, and protect vital infrastructure that is currently undergoing recovery,” he explained.
BNPB data shows that floods and landslides that hit Sumatra in late 2025 affected hundreds of thousands of residents. In Aceh Province, several districts, including North Aceh, East Aceh, and Aceh Tamiang, still face the threat of inundation due to rivers that have not yet returned to normal capacity. The central and regional governments continue to accelerate rehabilitation by repairing embankments, cleaning rivers, building emergency bridges, and meeting the basic needs of affected communities.
Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf stated that the regional government actively supports the central government’s efforts to implement the Weather Modification Operation. He noted that this operation has had a positive impact in reducing rainfall intensity and helping the region control the potential for further flooding.
“The people of Aceh should remain vigilant, follow official information from the government, and participate in protecting the environment as part of disaster risk reduction efforts,” he stressed.
The government has emphasized that it will continue its Weather Modification Operations as long as the potential for extreme weather persists. Through strong coordination between the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Indonesian Air Force, and local governments, the government is committed to implementing active, integrated, and sustainable disaster mitigation as part of the national strategy to address the increasing risk of hydrometeorological disasters due to climate change.