Climate & Environment · Asia

Indonesia tests dry ice over South Sumatra as airport visibility improves

Indonesia used 2.4 tonnes of dry ice in a weather-modification operation over South Sumatra, focusing initially on the area around Palembang airport. Visibility there improved during the operation, but an official said further research is needed to determine whether dry ice or other weather factors caused the change.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 5 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 5 outletsHow it's made

View timeline · 9 entries

5 outletsLatest reporting Oct 18, 4:27 AM UTC3 min read

Coverage: Mostly CenterL 0 · C 3 · R 1 · 1 unrated

Updat3 graphic · Map data: Natural Earth Natural Earth (public domain)

What happened

Key facts

Indonesia deployed 2.4 tonnes of dry ice over South Sumatra in an effort to disperse haze (per CNA, businesstoday.com.my, nst.com.my).
Berton Panjaitan said further research is needed to determine whether dry ice or other weather factors caused the visibility improvement (per CNA).
Indonesia is testing dry ice as an alternative method to disperse haze (per CNA).

The brief

Indonesia deployed 2.4 tonnes of dry ice over South Sumatra in a weather-modification operation aimed at dispersing thick haze, with the effort initially centred on the area around Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport in Palembang. CNA reported that the haze had disrupted flights at the airport.

The operation took place from Oct 15 to Oct 16, according to the account by Berton Panjaitan, acting head of the National Disaster Management Agency’s Disaster Data, Information and Communication Centre. Panjaitan said the operation involved three flights and a combined flying time of seven hours and three minutes.

The airport’s visibility improved from 1,000m to as much as 3,000m during the operation, he said. That change occurred while the dry-ice deployment was under way, but the account does not establish that the dry ice caused it. Panjaitan said further research would be needed to determine whether the dry ice or other weather factors produced the visibility improvement.

The uncertainty is central to assessing the trial: the operation and the change in visibility are reported, while the cause of that change remains undetermined. Indonesia is testing dry ice as an alternative method to disperse haze. Panjaitan also said the material did not harm wildlife or kill plants.

His statement addresses those potential effects, but the account provides no additional measurements or details about how that assessment was made. The broader haze context described by CNA is smoke from forest and land fires. The article says South Sumatra is among six provinces Indonesia has prioritised for forest and land fire prevention and response.

It also describes smoke reaching the atmosphere over Greater Jakarta briefly before moving away, with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency reporting no evidence that it affected ground-level air quality there.

The reported visibility improvement gives officials a measurable change to examine, but Panjaitan’s call for further research means the operation’s effect cannot yet be separated from other weather conditions. The account does not say whether Indonesia has decided to repeat the dry-ice trial or how it will assess any future deployment.

Why it matters

Improved visibility can reduce flight delays and diversions at Palembang airport, benefiting passengers, airlines and cargo operators, though the trial does not yet establish that dry ice caused the change. If further testing confirms the method works, Indonesia could add it to its haze-response toolkit; it would not replace efforts to prevent fires that generate smoke and disrupt communities and transport.

What to watch next

Whether further research identifies dry ice or other weather factors as the cause of the airport visibility improvement.
Whether Indonesia continues testing dry ice as an alternative method to disperse haze.
Whether any subsequent assessment reports effects on wildlife or plants.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details

5 source articles · 5 unique outlets

Outlet political mix: Mostly Center· 3 Center · 1 Right · 1 unrated

Where the outlets are based: Asia 100%

Outlet political mix

Mostly Center

Left

Center

Right

0 outlets

3 outlets

1 outlet

The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once. 1 unrated outlet is not included.

Geography

Where the outlets covering this story are based.

5 unique outletsDominant coverage: Asia

All5 Asia5 · 100%

Coverage imbalance

Coverage is currently concentrated among Center-rated outlets (3 of 4 rated sources); comparatively few Left-rated outlets have published on the event.
Coverage is currently concentrated among outlets based in Asia (5 of 5 geographically-identified sources).

How we measure coverage

How outlets' accounts compare

Updat3 does not yet have enough full reports to compare how outlets framed this story.

Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.

1997
Fires in Indonesia sent smoke across Southeast Asia.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
Jun 10, 2002
The longer-running regional framework is the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, signed on 10 June 2002.
Background · from our historical context
2014
Indonesia ratified it in 2014, making it the last ASEAN member state to do so.
Background · from our historical context
2014
Indonesia ratified the Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
2015
In 2015, Indonesia faced another major fire and haze emergency during a strong El Niño, which brought unusually dry conditions to parts of the region.
Background · from our historical context
2015
Fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan produced haze that disrupted travel and affected neighboring countries.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
Sep 2015
In September 2015, Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency used weather-modification operations, including cloud seeding, as part of efforts to bring rain to fire-affected areas.
Background · from our historical context
2019
Fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan produced haze during another severe fire season.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
2023
Indonesia carried out weather-modification operations in Sumatra to help prevent land and forest fires.
Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

South Sumatra’s exposure to smoke haze predates the current dry-ice trial: during Indonesia’s 2015 fire season, fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan produced smoke that disrupted travel and affected neighboring countries.

In September 2015, Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency used weather-modification operations, including cloud seeding, as part of efforts to bring rain to fire-affected areas. Similar operations were used during the severe 2019 fire season, when haze again affected parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan.