9 Regions In Southeast Sulawesi With Drought Emergency Status

Acting Governor of Southeast Sulawesi Komjen (Ret.) Andap Budhi Revianto. (Between/La Ode Muh Deden Saputra)

KENDARI - Acting Governor of Southeast Sulawesi (Sultra) Andap Budhi Revianto has set nine regions in the province to be included in the emergency response status of drought due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon.

"There are nine areas in Southeast Sulawesi," he said in Kendari, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, October 26.

The nine areas are Muna Regency, South Konawe (South Konawe), Konawe, East Kolaka (Koltim), Central Buton (Buteng), South Buton (Busel), Buton, Bombana, and Kendari City. The secretary general (Secretary General) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) said that the determination of the drought's emergency response status was carried out based on the results of field checks.

Including the results of a coordination meeting with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Southeast Sulawesi, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of Kendari, and the Heads of Regional Apparatus of the Provincial Government (Pemprov) of Southeast Sulawesi.

"The determination is based on the results of the joint coordination meeting," he said.

Andap also revealed that the emergency response status for the drought caused by the El Nino phenomenon was from October 25 to December 31, 2023.

In the future, there are still many areas affected by drought due to this long drought, he said, the emergency response status of the drought could be extended again.

"As of October 25 to December 31, 2023, it can be extended according to the conditions and needs of disaster management," he explained.

Regarding budget support for the drought emergency response condition, he continued, it was charged to ready-to-use funds from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). "We are concerned that there are several areas affected by drought, making decisions because this is important in the deployment of equipment, resources including budget support, to help our brothers and sisters. We hope that this will improve soon and they will receive assistance soon," he said.