Pilar Saga leads street spraying operation to control volcanic ash

South Tangerang Deputy Mayor Pilar Saga Ichsan personally led a pre-dawn operation to spray volcanic ash from major roads. The city government and a joint team carried out the work on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, beginning at 1 a.m. and continuing until morning.

“ We carried out the spraying to wet the volcanic ash deposited on the roads, so it would not be blown back into the air by passing vehicles or the wind and disrupt residents' activities,” Pilar said.

The crews targeted three corridors: Terminal BSD to Jalan Ciater Raya and Bundaran Maruga, then back to Terminal BSD; Pamulang Square to Sasak and back; and the area between Rawa Buntu Station and Melati Mas in both directions.

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We carried out the spraying to wet the volcanic ash deposited on the roads, so it would not be blown back into the air by passing vehicles or the wind and disrupt residents' activities.

Officials scheduled the operation overnight so they could work more effectively while limiting disruption to traffic. Pilar said the city hoped to control the ash before morning activity became busy again. The response followed an emergency evaluation meeting and will continue in stages, depending on conditions in the field. The city will assess other roads that may need similar treatment.

The operation involved the Fire and Rescue Service, the Regional Disaster Management Agency, the Transportation Agency, the Environmental Agency, and the Water Resources, Highways and Construction Agency. South Tangerang police, the Tangerang military district, and developers also supported the effort.

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We carried it out overnight and into the early morning so the response could be more effective and would not disrupt residents' mobility too much.