Jakarta. Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) launched a weather modification operation on Sunday to help reduce the impact of volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau that has affected parts of Banten, Jakarta, West Java and Lampung.

Berton SP Panjaitan, head of BNPB’s Data, Information and Disaster Communications Center, said an aircraft had been prepared at Pondok Cabe Airport in South Tangerang for the operation, which was scheduled to continue until Sunday evening.

“The aircraft is ready at Pondok Cabe. The weather modification operation will be carried out today until tonight,” Berton said during an online news conference broadcast on BNPB Indonesia’s YouTube channel.

Berton said the operation would employ two techniques depending on weather conditions.

The first involves inducing rainfall to wash volcanic ash particles out of the atmosphere, helping reduce ash that could disrupt daily activities and affect air quality.

If there is insufficient cloud formation to produce rain, BNPB and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) will use a water-mist technique in Jakarta, Banten and Lampung to help bring potentially harmful ash particles down from the air.

BNPB hopes the operation will improve weather and air conditions in areas affected by the volcanic ash, particularly in Jakarta.

“We hope the weather modification operation carried out today until tonight can help achieve better weather conditions,” Berton said.

The central government is also coordinating with local administrations and relevant ministries and agencies over the response to the eruption and its impacts.

Berton said no district, city or provincial government in areas affected by Anak Krakatau’s volcanic ash had so far declared an emergency status.

Such a declaration would allow local governments to formally request assistance from the central government through BNPB for an immediate response.

Despite the absence of emergency declarations, BNPB has deployed teams to affected areas to monitor conditions and developments on the ground, Berton said.

He added that BNPB had received instructions from Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and was reporting developments in the response to the volcanic ash to President Prabowo Subianto.

In addition to the weather modification operation, BNPB has begun distributing supplies to affected communities, including basic necessities and face mask.

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