Indonesia plans to shoot clouds after its capital suffered the biggest rainfall in more than 20 years, causing flash floods and landslides.

Heavy rains hit Jakarta's metropolis, including its capital and surrounding areas, on the occasion of the New Year, killing at least 43 people, according to the Indonesian disaster management agency. Tens of thousands of people have to evacuate.

The Indonesian Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) today said the two planes were ready to disrupt the clouds capable of causing rain in the Sunda Strait, while a larger aircraft was in preparation. Severity.

"All clouds moving towards the Jakarta metropolitan area, which is expected to cause rain, will be shot out of sodium chloride (NaCl). Hopefully, the clouds will be destroyed before it reaches the Jakarta metropolis," BPPT said.

Firing chemical salts into the cloud to trigger early rainfall is commonly used in Indonesia to extinguish forest fires during the dry season. In 2013, when Jakarta was hit by a historic flood that affected more than 30 million people, dozens were killed, and the government had to take the same approach.

The Indonesian Meteorological, Climate and Geophysics Agency warned that extreme weather could continue until January 7, while heavy rain could last until mid-February. Indonesian television today broadcast images showing some areas of Southeast Asia's largest city still flooded.