Indonesia launches weather modification operation to curb extreme weather risks in Jakarta

JAKARTA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency has initiated a weather modification operation in the Jakarta area on Tuesday as a preventive step to lessen the danger of hydrometeorological disasters and severe weather.

"The weather modification operation began today and will continue for the next five days," Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency Director Isnawa Adji said on Tuesday.

He said that the effort seeks to reduce the possibility of more flooding, after torrential rains drenched numerous neighbourhoods of Jakarta on Monday.

According to the authorities, flooding has progressively subsided, with inundation continuing in 28 neighbourhood units and six road sections where water levels vary from 10 to 60 cm. ■