Cilacap Residents Asked To Be Alert To Face The Impact Of Long Drought, BPBD: Potential Drought

Photo illustration: Antara

CILACAP - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Cilacap Regency in Central Java Province asked residents to increase their preparedness to face the possibility of a long drought, which could cause drought and a clean water crisis.

"This year's dry season is predicted to last long, so it has the potential to cause drought," said Head of BPBD Cilacap Regency Wijonardi, quoted from Antara, Friday, March 24.

Therefore, he said, people living in drought-prone areas should be wise in using clean water supplies.

Based on government data, according to him, as many as 72 villages in Cilacap Regency are prone to drought and lack of clean water during the dry season.

He estimates that the number of villages prone to drought and lack of clean water in Cilacap will decrease because there is already a construction of drinking water supply facilities for the community.

Nevertheless, he said, BPBD alerted three tankers to distribute clean water assistance to residents in need.

"Two of them are at the Cilacap Regency BPBD Pusdalops and the other is at the Majenang Regional BPBD UPT," he said.

He said that the tank cars had been put on a tap around them to facilitate the distribution of water to residents' shelters.

Wijonardi said that apart from BPBD, other regional apparatus organizations also take preparedness steps to face the risk of a long dry season.

BPBD's duties include handling water supply problems in an emergency situation. Other regional apparatus organizations carry out preparedness steps in accordance with their main duties and functions.

Wijonardi gave an example, the Water Resources Management Service has a tool to detect water sources, so it can help find new water sources in areas prone to drought.