The Dry Season Is Not Over Yet, The Bantul Regency Government Extends The Emergency Alert Status

Illustration: A number of residents took water in the middle of Telaga Tritis which began to dry up in Njaten Hamlet, Ngestirejo, Tanjungsari, Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. (ANTARA/Noveradika)

BANTUL - Bantul Regency Government (Pemkab), Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY), has extended the Drought Disaster Emergency Alert Status which was previously enforced until September 3, 2023. This policy was taken considering the potential for the dry season which still has an impact on drought in society. Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the Bantul Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Antoni Hutagaol said the extension of the drought alert status was based on a coordination meeting with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) some time ago. "The contents include the same as yesterday, yesterday's meeting in Yogyakarta and BMKG stated that in early December it had started to rain, but that doesn't mean the intensity of the rain is high, and it is predicted that it could be January, so in December it will still be a dry situation, still dry," he said in Bantul, Antara, Tuesday, September 5. Previously, the Bantul Regency Government had issued a Decree (SK) of the Bantul Regent Number 312 of 2023 concerning the 2023 Drought Disaster Emergency Alert Status which took effect from July 6 to September 3. With the extension of the Drought Emergency Alert Status, the handling of drought incidents together by related agencies will continue, such as distributing or dropping clean water aid to drought-affected areas. "From BPBD Bantul itself, 13.4 percent of clean water has dropped or 51 tanks as of September 4, then PMI (Indonesian Red Cross) friends have also been assisted, and Social Service Office Tagana Bantul, as well as from related agencies," he said. With this status extension, he continued, it is possible for local government budget support (Pemda) through the Regent's unexpected funds, if the budget prepared by BPBD is not sufficient. Meanwhile, based on the Bantul BPBD infographic, the assistance for dropping clean water to the Bantul area drought site as of September 4 has reached 960 thousand liters or 232 water tanks, covering 51 tanks from Bantul BPBD, 82 tanks from Bantul PMI, and 59 tanks from the Tagana Bantul Social Service.

Meanwhile, the Bantul community affected by drought reached 1,913 families consisting of 7,774 people spread across seven sub-districts consisting of 11 urban villages and 16 hamlets.