Despite the recent death in Limpopo of South Africa's leading rainmaker, Queen Modjadji, a team of scientists has proved the country's rainmaking talent is still in abundance.

Dr Deon Terblanche from the South African Weather Service and a team of three other scientists last night scooped the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)'s first prize for their scientific research on climate modification.

The US 200 000 Dollar (R1.2 million) prize, sponsored by the United Arab Emirates, was awarded to the four South Africans for their Hydroscopic Seeding Technology research project.

The experiment involves the deployment of patented flares from an aircraft into the clouds in order to induce rain.

According to the Weather Service, the prize recognises and encourages significant advances in meteorology, and is contested by weather scientists from around the globe.

The award ceremony was part of the WMO's 14th session of the Commission for Atmospheric Sciences that started on 16 February and ends on 24 March, with about 180 delegates attending.

Dr Terblanche said in about 15 years' time, South Africa would be among those countries classified as water scarce.

"At the moment only 10 percent of moisture transported across South Africa falls out as rain; this is way below what is required," he said.

He said if nothing was done to enhance the natural formation of rainfall, there would be less and less rain in the coming years.

The WMO is a body that seeks to integrate the work being done by weather scientists from across the world. It is affiliated to the United Nations.

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