Dilanda Kemarau Panjang, Garut Siaga Bencana Drought

The dry season in Garut (ANTARA/Feri Purnama)

GARUT - Garut Region, West Java is experiencing a drought situation as the dry season progresses. The local district government has set an emergency alert status for drought as preparation for the response of several affected areas.

"This emergency session is a preparation for entering the emergency response, so there must be a basis first as a preparedness stage," said Garut Regency BPBD Chief Executive Total Anwar Saefuloh in Garut, as reported by ANTARA, Sunday, September 1.

He said the Garut Regency Government had received a letter from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) regarding weather conditions and their impact in the dry season, then the government had to take preparedness steps before the emergency response was declared.

The stages, he said, were three stages, namely first having to set an emergency alert, secondly emergency response, and thirdly emergency regional recovery affected by the dry disaster.

He mentioned the determination of the alert status as a preparation step for local governments to deal with various possibilities for natural disasters in the dry season such as clean water difficulties, drought in agricultural land, and forest land fires.

The impact of the dry season in Garut at this time, he said, has not yet occurred massively, the conditions are still under control, even so the local government must make preparations if there is an increase in status to an emergency response.

"In the field of emergency preparedness, it means that there will be an increase in several places, so basically we have to prepare ourselves if there is drought, clean water difficulties, or agricultural crop drought," said God willing.

Previously, the Acting Regent of Garut Barnas Adjidin had issued Decree Number 100.3.2/KEP.785-BPBD/2024 on August 19 regarding the Emergency Alert Status for Drought and Forest Fire Disasters (Karhutla) and Land until September 30.

The letter is a follow-up to the Statement of Acting Governor of West Java Number 1119/PEM.05/BPBD which states the Emergency Alert Status for Drought and Forestry Disasters in West Java Province in 2024.

In this emergency alert situation, the Garut Regency Government prepares potential human resources, facilities and infrastructure, as well as financing through BPBD and related regional apparatus to minimize the impact of disasters.*