BNPB urges regions to be vigilant over the impact of prolonged drought

Jember, East Java (ANTARA) - Acting Deputy for Prevention at the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Pangarso Suryotomo, urged regional authorities to be vigilant about the impacts of the prolonged drought in the 2026 dry season. ‘We have issued a circular to all Regional Disaster Management Agencies (BPBD) to be vigilant about drought impacts by carrying out mitigation,’ he said after attending the East Java Disaster Risk Reduction Forum at the East Java Provincial Government and Development Coordinating Board in Jember (Bakorwil V Jember), on Wednesday. ‘There is also a need to be cautious about forest and land fires (Karhutla) by ensuring community readiness, information from the community, BPBD and volunteers regarding the steps taken to address this,’ he added. He explained that local governments, through the BPBD, typically prepare contingency plans related to drought during the dry season, so mapping and strengthening must be carried out according to each agency’s role. ‘We also hope that the Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB), which is a multiparty collaboration, will also conduct disaster risk assessments to address the drought impacts of the prolonged dry season,’ he said. Meanwhile, Jember BPBD Head Edy Budi Susilo said his side has prepared a draft Governor’s Decree on Emergency Readiness for the transition from the rainy season to the dry season that could cause drought impacts. ‘We have also prepared mitigation steps when drought and Karhutla occur at several points in the Jember area,’ he said. He emphasised that preparedness from all elements is very important should a severe drought occur in Jember. The consolidation and strengthening of FPRB conducted at Bakorwil Jember was supported by the SIAP SIAGA Programme, the Indonesia-Australia Partnership for Disaster Management. The event is part of the SIAP SIAGA Programme’s commitment to strengthening FPRB as a pentahelix disaster coordination forum, aimed at fostering collaboration in disaster management in East Java.