BMKG: Jayawijaya Mountains’ Ice Thickness Reduced to Only 4 Meters

SEAToday.com, Papua - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) has reported a “significant decrease” in the extent and thickness of the ‘eternal snow’ on Sudirman Peak, Jayawijaya Mountains, Papua. This is the result of glacier monitoring conducted from November 11-15.

BMKG Climatology Instrument Standardization Division Coordinator Donaldi Sukma Permana explained that the ice cover area in 2024 shrank by 0.11-0.16 square kilometers from 0.23 square kilometers in 2022. The report also mentioned that the ‘eternal snow’ in the Jayawijaya Mountains will disappear in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Staff Member Najib Habibie also explained that this year's monitoring found that the ice thickness on Sudirman Peak was only four meters. This figure has decreased significantly compared to 2010, with an ice thickness of 32 meters.

The report cites “increasingly uncontrollable” climate change as the main cause of the ice melt. In addition, the El Nino phenomenon has also accelerated the loss of this ice cover.