BMKG: 66 Percent of West Java Region to be Surrounded by Drought Faster

BANDUNG - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of West Java revealed that 66 percent of the province's area is predicted to be surrounded by drought early with weather conditions predicted to be much drier than usual.

BMKG West Java gives a serious warning to the public, because in addition to being earlier and much drier, the drought condition will be much longer than the normal condition.

"As much as 56 percent of the area in West Java is predicted to enter the dry season in May," said West Java BMKG Praktirawan Vivi Indhira as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, April 14.

Vivi explained that this drought phenomenon actually started creeping since March in Bekasi and North Karawang, then spread to Subang and Indramayu in April. At its peak, he said, 90 percent of West Java will experience extreme drought in August.

In the 2026 dry season, which is predicted to last longer, it is estimated that 93 percent of the area is categorized as dry.

In addition to August with 90 percent of the area experiencing the peak of drought, he said, a small portion of the area (8 percent) reached the peak in July and two percent in September.

Only two percent of the area has different seasonal characteristics, covering Bogor City, Central Bogor, and a small part of North Sukabumi.

Responding to this condition, the West Java BMKG urged local governments and the public to immediately take mitigation steps to avoid a wider clean water crisis.

"The area in West Java is predicted to experience a longer or longer dry season than usual," said Vivi.

Residents are urged to start saving on the use of clean water. Meanwhile, the relevant authorities are asked to optimize the operation of reservoirs, dams, and rehabilitate ponds as emergency water reserves.

In the agricultural sector, BMKG asked farmers to adjust the planting calendar by avoiding the peak of the dry season and switching to varieties of plants that are drought-resistant and short-lived.

"For the disaster sector, please be prepared for the potential of drought and forest and local fires," said ViviIndhira.