Extreme Weather, Weather Modification and Disaster
Do not blame the rain – as we underlined in the title of Thursday’s headline, though we know that heavy rain is the cause of various hydrometeorological disasters.
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kompas editor
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KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO
A container truck is pushing through floodwater on Jl. Cakung-Cilincing in the Sukapura area of Cilincing, North Jakarta, on Tuesday (25/2/2020). Heavy rain caused severe flooding in numerous areas of Jakarta and Bekasi.
Do not blame the rain – as we underlined in the title of Thursday’s headline, though we know that heavy rain is the cause of various hydrometeorological disasters.
Disasters like flooding, dam failure, landslides and land subsidence have occurred in the past few days. We appreciate the warning issued by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), for instance during extreme weather from February 17 to February 20, as well as starting February 23 and for eth next few days.
Supported by better weather observation instruments, we obtain more accurate weather forecast. Everything we received should not stop as mere information; rather it should be treated as a corner-stone for policy action to mitigate the impact of extreme weather.
We need to emphasize this point, as many nations have not taken meaningful action to stop global warming, which causes extreme weather. Hence, since the middle of the previous decade, we have heard news about the hottest days of the year, the decade or even the century.
The impacts of global warming take the form of cyclones, tornadoes, rising temperatures, heavy rains, as well as severe drought. The prediction of heavy rains on February 24, which will affect many areas, including Greater Jakarta, had not occurred until the midday on Thursday. This phenomenon is related with the Air Force effort, in cooperation with the Agency for the Assessment and Applica-tion of Technology (BPPT), to divert the cumulonimbus clouds from affected areas to the sea.
The weather modification involved the CN-295 and C-212 airplanes, flying over the clouds with four tons of cloud seeding to divert the cumulonimbus clouds from the capital. This action is innovative and beneficial, helping Jakarta citizens to avoid the dreaded impact of floods.
KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI
Residents live on the top floors of their houses in the Cipinang Melayu area of East Jakarta, which was flooded on Tuesday (25/2/2020). High rainfall caused major flooding in a number of areas in the capital. A number of roads were not accessible by car and some residents were forced to evacuate from their inundated homes.
Nevertheless, weather modification is not a permanent solution. Environmental revitalization in the upstream area should be done, combined with river normalization, improvement in the city’s drain-age system, as well as implementing better urban planning approach. A comprehensive approach is needed, together with strict mitigation and monitoring activities to prevent hydrometeorology disasters – as well as other disasters – from occurring. It is better to anticipative than reactive.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters have become additional burdens that need more attention due the complexity of mitigating it. With solidarity, however, the burden will be lightened.
Equally important, we need to do work, such as cleaning sewage and dredging the rivers
Besides that, the annual hydrometeorological disasters should serve as a lesson to uproot the prob-lem. Equally important, we need to do work, such as cleaning sewage and dredging the rivers. These activities should be done before the wet season.
KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO
A man sits on a police dinghy on a flooded Jl. Bendungan Hilir in Central Jakarta on Tuesday (25/2/2020). Intense rainfall caused floods that inundated a number of areas in Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang.
The rainy season comes every year with greater intensity. This fact pushes us to take extraordinary measures, more intense than in the past.
