18 Thousand Residents Of Bekasi Regency Affected By Drought

Distribution of clean water assistance for residents affected by drought in the Bojongmangu District, Bekasi Regency, West Java, Monday (28/8/2023). ANTARA/Pradita Kurniawan Syah

JAKARTA - More than 18 thousand residents of Bekasi Regency, West Java, were affected by drought due to low rainfall in the extreme dry season triggered by the El Nino phenomenon this year.

The Head of the Bekasi Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Muchlis said the affected tens of thousands of residents came from a total of 4,666 families, especially in areas with minimal water sources.

"Residents affected by drought are spread across 22 villages out of a total of 187 villages and sub-districts in eight sub-districts based on data per day. No injuries, death, or displaced residents," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, August 28.

His party, assisted by other related elements, continues to work together to optimize the process of collecting data, mapping, and distributing clean water aid and water jerry cans with a capacity of 20 liters to affected residents.

Based on the results of the mapping, the main needs of residents affected by drought include clean water, water reservoirs, water jerry cans, to requests for connecting PDAM pipelines.

"Since last week we have started routinely distributing clean water assistance with an allocation of 30,000 liters per day. To date 325,000 liters have been distributed, including distribution from PDAM Tirta Bhagasasi in the Bojongmangu District area," he said.

Head of the Bekasi Regency BPBD Emergency and Logistics Division, Dodi Supriyadi, said a number of related elements were involved to intervene in handling drought disasters so that they run optimally so that the affected residents immediately received assistance.

These elements include PDAM Tirta Bhagasasi, Bekasi Metro Police, Kodim 0509 Bekasi Regency, Fire Department, PMI, Baznas, Agriculture Service, Tirta Bhagasasi PDAM, Satpol PP, sub-district and village officials, to disaster volunteers.

"This is a form of the state being present in the community to ensure that the impact of the disaster can be minimized through massive handling," he said.

He said the areas affected by drought include four villages in Cibarusah District, namely Ridogalih Village, Ridomanah, Sirnajati, and Cibarusah City.

Six villages in Bojongmangu District, namely Karangindah, Medalkrisna, Karangmulya, Bojongmangu, Sukabungah, and Sukakakkakti villages also experienced similar conditions.

Then six villages in Serang Baru District, namely Nagasari, Sukasari, Sukaragam, Sirnajaya, Nagacipta, and Cilangkara Village, as well as two villages in Babelan District, namely Kedung Pengawas and Muarabakti Villages also experienced drought.

Four other areas are spread across four sub-districts, each Samudra Jaya Village, Tarumajaya District, Harapan Jaya Village, Muaragembong District, Karang Segar Village, Pebayuran District, and Sukaringin Village, Sukawangi District.

Dodi said the data on the distribution of drought-affected areas is tentative. His party is still mapping the area including the potential for the expansion of drought-affected areas through direct data collection and in collaboration with each sub-district apparatus in the area.

Local governments have also set an emergency alert status for drought following the expansion of affected areas in a number of areas as well as optimizing massive aid handling interventions.

The status determination is contained in the Bekasi Regent's Decree (SK) Number: HK.02.02/KEP.528-BPBD/2023 concerning the Drought Disaster Emergency Alert Status in Bekasi Regency in 2023.