Oesao Jebol Dam, A Resident Of East Kupang Is Threatened With Crop Failure

The Oesao Dam, located in Pukdale Village, East Kupang District, burst. As a result, the water overflowed into residential areas.

The breakdown of the wing of the Oesao Dam was caused by heavy rains that flushed the Kupang Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.

"The high volume of water that entered the Oesao Dam due to heavy rainfall on Saturday (4/2) caused the wing of the Oesao Dam to burst into floodwater," said Head of the Kupang District Disaster Risk Reduction Forum, Elfrid V S Strange, as quoted from Antara, Saturday, February 4.

The damage to the dam was serious enough because the Oesao Dam wall collapsed and was eroded by water. Elfrid said the Oesao Dam floodgates had been out of service for 10 years so they could not be used to open water flow when the water discharge increased due to the damaged condition of the floodgates.

He explained that emergency handling needed to be carried out immediately. The reason is, Oesao Dam is one of the most important dams for farmers in the East Kupang District.

This dam is a source of water to irrigate thousands of hectares of rice fields in the rice fields of Oesao, Naibonat, and Nunkurus.

"If the damage to this dam cannot be overcome, the potential for crop failure in 2023 could occur because there is no water that can irrigate rice fields belonging to farmers," said Elfrid V Sstrange.

He explained that the NTT Provincial River Basin Center has stated that it is ready to repair damage to the Oesao Dam so that the water needs for agricultural businesses owned by farmers are still met.