Drought In Pacitan Expands In 11 Districts

Officers distributed clean water to one of the villages affected by drought in Pacitan Regency, Thursday (14/9/2023) (ANTARA/HO - BPBD Pacitan)

PACITAN - The drought disaster in Pacitan Regency, East Java is currently widespread in 11 sub-districts in the area, from previously reported in only six sub-districts.

"Of the total 12 sub-districts in Pacitan, currently only one sub-district is not affected by drought," said Head of the Logistics Emergency Section of the Pacitan Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Radite Surya Anggono, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, September 14.

The eleven sub-districts that reported the affected were Pacitan, Donorojo, Punung, Arjosari, Bandar, Kebonagung, Nawangan, Sudimoro, Tegalombo, Ngadirojo, Pringkuku.

Of the 11 sub-districts, 31 villages of 90 hamlets have applied for clean water supply assistance every day.

"Until now, only Tulakan Subdistrict has not reported any parts of the area experiencing clean water difficulties," he said.

Referring to Pacitan BPBD data, the number of affected residents who were previously 7,412 people or 2,026 families (KK), has now become 15,949 people or 7,277 families.

This number has doubled from previous mapping results last week.

Radite explained that the Pacitan BPBD is currently doing short-term by distributing water. Then in the long term there will be a pipeline program.

"We distribute water every day. One day is not just one village but several villages. One village is also not only once a week. But it is scheduled once a few days," said Radite.

According to him, one time the Pacitan BPBD water shipment carried 4,000 liters to 8,000 liters.

BPBD Pacitan itself has four trucks for water distribution.

We have four vehicles, with different loads. Asa 4,000 liters, 2,000 liters, 6,000 liters and 5,000 liters," he said.

Radite said maybe the drought in Pacitan will be long. As predicted by BMKG, the start of the drought season in May to August 2023. Then it enters the peak of the dry season.

"That's why in September 2023 many are increasingly asking for clean water delivery. Later in October 2023 we will still experience drought if the BMKG predictions are," he said.