Central Java and Yogya face drought and crop failure<\/p>\n
Suherdjoko and Slamet Susanto, Semarang\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The dry season has started in Central Java and Yogyakarta,
\nleading to critical water shortages and serious damage to rice
\ncrops, officials say.<\/p>\n
According to the Central Java Agricultural Office, about 18
\nout of 35 regencies in Central Java are facing water shortages in
\nthe early stages of this year's dry season. The season, which
\nstarted in April, is expected to last until September.<\/p>\n
Data from the Central Java Water Resource Management Office
\n(PSDA) says three of the 30 reservoirs in the area have
\ncompletely dried up and 11 others are in critical condition.<\/p>\n
Areas which are suffering from water shortages are the
\nCilacap, Purworejo, Kebumen, Sukoharjo, Karanganyar, Sragen,
\nWonogiri, Klaten, Brebes, Pemalang, Pekalongan, Semarang,
\nGrobogan, Pati, Blora, Banyumas, Boyolali and Rembang regencies.<\/p>\n
Food Crops Protection and Horticulture Agency head Suhargi
\nYantono said almost 13,000 hectares of rice fields in these areas
\nwere suffering the effects of drought, while 3,491 hectares of
\nwould likely suffer harvest failure.<\/p>\n
The Wonogiri regency was the worst affected, with severe
\ndroughts affecting 2,180 hectares of land, followed by Klaten
\nwith 535 hectares, Sukoharjo with 387 hectares and Boyolali with
\n144 hectares.<\/p>\n
\"Severe water shortages in these areas usually happen in the
\ndry season when rain-dependent rice fields in Wonogiri are the
\nworst hit,\" Yantono said.<\/p>\n
The administration this week set aside Rp 400 million
\n(US$42,105) from the PSDA's budget for cloud-seeding. PSDA head
\nNidham Azhari said seeding was an effective way to minimize the
\neffects of water shortages in the regions.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Yogyakarta provincial administration said it
\nhad prepared food reserves of 116 tons of rice using a local
\ncoordinating agency to anticipate the likely shortages caused by
\nthe drought.<\/p>\n
\"Rations are ready to be channeled at any time to areas that
\nare in need,\" secretary Bambang Priyohadi said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The dry season used to be noticeable in June and peak in
\nAugust, however, the irregular weather patterns of late had meant
\nit would likely continue into September, Bambang said.<\/p>\n
\"Health problems caused by a lack of clean water, medical care
\nand food scarcity will arise, as in previous droughts,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The areas around Yogyakarta most prone to drought are the
\nGunungkidul and Kulonprogo regencies, with both experiencing
\nserious problems in the past. Regional administrations have been
\nsupplying extra water to these areas for the past several weeks.<\/p>\n
Data shows that 182 out of 260 artesian wells in Gunungkidul;
\nan important source of water for locals; are running low or have
\ndried up in the past month and many residents now have to buy
\ntheir water.<\/p>\n
Semanu district public welfare official Sumantri said four of
\nthe five villages in his district were now facing water
\nshortages.<\/p>\n
Residents had to pay Rp 70,000 for a tank of water, Sumantri
\nsaid. \"It depends on the distance. It could cost more than Rp
\n100,000 for a tanker truck to send water to a remote village,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/central-java-and-yogya-face-drought-and-crop-failure-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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