Lebak Regency in Banten Sets Drought Emergency Status

Illustration. A resident crossed the area affected by the dry drought in the Botok Reservoir, Sragen, Central Java on Tuesday, May 25, 2023. (ANTARA-Mohammad Ayudha)

BANTEN - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has declared a drought emergency status in Lebak Regency, Banten.

Lebak BPBD Head Febby Rizki Pratama said the decision follows that Lebak is affected by the clean water crisis due to El Nino, whose peak is expected in August-September 2023.

"Determination of the drought emergency status until September 2023," he said in Lebak, Banten, Monday, August 21, confiscated by Antara.

The clean water crisis in Lebak hit 12 districts. Clean water is supplied almost every day to the villages that are experiencing drought.

Most likely, he said, the clean water crisis area would extend to other districts.

Lebak Regency BPBD proposed a weather modification to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to carry out artificial rain to meet water availability for people experiencing a water crisis.

"We hope that the weather modification can fulfill the availability of clean water," he said.

His party is currently deploying three water tank trucks with a capacity of 18 thousand liters to Ciakar Village, Gunungkencana District.​​​​​

The distribution of clean water is to meet the needs of the people affected by El Nino.

"We ask people who have been hit by a clean water crisis to immediately submit a request to the BPBD," he said.

Gunungkencana sub-district head Firman said the clean water crisis in the area was because the springs were running dry.

It is estimated that hundreds of heads of families in Ciakar Village, Lebak Regency are experiencing a clean water crisis.

In addition, he said, the wells did not produce water due to the drought.

He said the community uses water from the Ciakar River for bathing, washing and toilet purposes (MCK).

Therefore, his party submitted a request for clean water to the BPBD of Lebak Regency. "We feel helped by distributing 18 liters of clean water for residents of Ciakar Village," he said.

A number of Ciakar Village residents said they were grateful to get clean water supplies from the local Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). "We hope that the clean water assistance will be enough for the MCK for three days," said Ujang, a resident of Ciakar Village.