Jakarta to make artificial rain as El Niño threat intensifies

hartono · Aug 6, 2026

Jakarta to make artificial rain as El Niño threat intensifies

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung at Jakarta City Hall on Wednesday (August 5, 2026). ANTARA/Lia Wanadriani Santosa

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has approved conducting weather modification operations (WMO) once or twice a week, whenever suitable cloud conditions are present, to prepare for the El Nino phenomenon and a potentially prolonged dry season.

"The peak of El Niño is expected to last for a long time, possibly longer than in 2023. I have approved carrying out weather modification, or artificial rain, once or twice a week if cloud conditions allow," he said on Wednesday.

He referred to projections from the Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), which forecast rainfall in late September or mid-September, as well as during the first or second week of October.

"The problem is that the chances of suitable cloud formations are limited. However, I have given the instruction, and we have made the necessary preparations," he said.

Anung said the Jakarta Provincial Government is focusing on two priorities in anticipating the impacts of El Niño, one of which is preventing fires.

"I have instructed every neighborhood association (RW) to prepare portable fire extinguishers starting now because of the dry weather," he said.

In addition to fire prevention, the provincial government is preparing to address cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI) while ensuring the availability of clean water.

Meanwhile, BMKG said El Niño has reached the strong category and still has the potential to intensify into a very strong event, which could result in a drier and longer dry season across several parts of Indonesia.

Areas south of the equator, including East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Bali, Java, and southern Sumatra, are forecast to experience a drier and longer dry season than usual.