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In Tanah Datar, Indonesia, authorities took action on Wednesday to mitigate the risk of further rain and flash floods following heavy downpours on Sumatra Island over the weekend. The deluges, which hit the country's West Sumatra province, claimed the lives of at least 58 people and left 35 others missing.
The monsoon rains triggered a landslide of mud and cold lava from Mount Marapi, leading to rivers overflowing and devastating mountainside villages across four districts. The floods washed away people, 79 homes, and submerged hundreds of other houses and buildings, prompting over 1,500 families to seek refuge in temporary government shelters.
According to National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari, as of Wednesday, 58 bodies have been recovered from mud and rivers, mostly in the worst-hit Agam and Tanah Datar districts, while rescuers are searching for 35 missing individuals. About 33 villagers sustained injuries.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency head Dwikorita Karnawati warned of more downpours in West Sumatra in the coming days, with the threat of extreme rainfall persisting until next week. In an effort to prevent further disaster, an air force plane was deployed on Wednesday to seed clouds with salt flares, aiming to induce rain and break up the clouds before they reach the affected areas in Agam, Tanah Datar, Padang Panjang, Padang Pariaman, and Padang city, the provincial capital. This method, known as cloud seeding, modifies weather patterns by creating precipitation.
Indonesia’s air force collaborated with the country’s technology agency to conduct three rounds of cloud seeding on Wednesday, with more planned as necessary. About 15 tons of salt were prepared for this operation. The technology agency, BPPT, stated that all rain clouds heading towards the four districts in West Sumatra will be targeted with sodium chloride, or salt.
“We are deploying weather modification technology starting tomorrow so that rain does not fall during this emergency response period,” said National Disaster Management Agency chief Suharyanto, who goes by a single name like many Indonesians, on Tuesday while visiting the district of Agam. He also mentioned that the emergency response will conclude on May 25.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing on Wednesday as teams combed through rivers and the debris of destroyed villages, where roads were turned into muddy rivers and villages were buried under thick mud, rocks, and uprooted trees.
Indonesia, an archipelago nation of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to landslides and flash floods due to heavy rains. The country is located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for its high seismic activity, with over 120 active volcanoes.
Mount Marapi has been active since a late eruption last year that claimed the lives of 23 climbers.