23,365 Central Java Banjarnegara Residents Affected By Drought, Exacerbated PDAM Pumps Damaged For A Week

Residents queue to collect clean water assistance in Kaliajir Village, Purwanegara District, Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java Province. (ANTARA/HO-BPBD Banjarnegara)

A total of 23,365 residents of Banjarnegara Regency in Central Java Province were affected by drought in the dry season in 2023.

This figure is based on data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) submitted by the Head of Emergency and Logistics Division of the Banjarnegara Regency BPBD Andri Sulistyo.

"Based on the data collection we have carried out, to date, 6,634 families or 23,365 people have been affected by drought," he said when contacted from Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Thursday, September 7, as reported by Antara.

According to him, residents affected by drought are spread across 15 villages and four sub-districts, including Jalapunda Village, Lightning, Kaliajir, Kebondalem, Kalitengah, Kebutuduwur, and Rejasa and Kutabanjar Village.

In addition, he said, the damage to the PDAM pump machine in the past week caused disruption to clean water services in Banjarnegara City.

BPBD Banjarnegara Regency has distributed clean water assistance to residents affected by drought and facing disruptions to clean water services.

Andri said that as of Thursday, September 7, BPBD had distributed 125 tanks or 623,500 liters of clean water assistance to residents in need.

According to him, in a day the Banjarnegara Regency BPBD can send 15 to 20 tanks of clean water to drought-affected areas by deploying three tank cars with a capacity of 5,000 liters each.

"Like today, I and the Banjarnegara BPBD team are on their way to distribute clean water assistance in Kalitengah Village, Purwanegara District," he said.

He said that among the areas affected by drought some are in steep hills whose roads have been passed by vehicles.

According to him, Kalitengah Village is an area with a tough terrain that is difficult to reach.

However, this condition does not hinder BPBD's efforts to distribute clean water aid to people in need.