Central Java Prepares Weather Modification to Tackle Drought in 14 Regions
The Central Java provincial government will carry out weather modification to address the impact of the drought, which is expected to continue until September. The measure is hoped to reduce drought conditions, particularly in 14 regions.
Drought in Central Java is increasing and spreading. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) for Central Java has issued a warning status for 14 regions: Demak, Kudus, Grobogan, Jepara, Pati, Rembang, Blora, Sragen, Karanganyar, Purworejo, Klaten, Magelang, Cilacap and Wonogiri.
“There are 14 regions with warning status and 18 regions in Central Java with standby status due to low rainfall,” said Head of BMKG Central Java Goeroeh Tjiptanto.
The regions in Central Java with standby status are Brebes, Tegal, Pemalang, Pekalongan, Batang, Kendal, Banyumas, Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, Wonosobo, Kebumen, Temanggung, Semarang, Boyolali, Sukoharjo, Semarang City, Salatiga City and Magelang City.
Head of the Central Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Bergas Catursasi Penanggungan said that to date 478 villages in 189 sub-districts across 30 regencies/cities in Central Java have been affected by drought, and 25 of those regencies/cities have declared a drought emergency standby status.
To address this condition, clean water assistance totalling 23.5 million litres has been distributed to 30 affected areas for 722,000 people, sourced from the Social Affairs Ministry’s Tagana, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Baznas in each region and the private sector, with distribution still ongoing.
Meanwhile, facing the drought disaster affecting dozens of regions, the Central Java provincial government will soon carry out weather modification, hoping this step will reduce drought, especially in the 14 regions currently under warning status.
“We are preparing a number of measures to face the threat of drought, which is expected to spread further, namely through weather modification,” said Central Java Deputy Governor Taj Yasin Maimoen on Tuesday (25/8).
According to Taj Yasin Maimoen, the weather modification is one effort to reduce the impact of drought caused by the prolonged dry season, which is expected to last until September. Information from BMKG indicates that the current period is the driest phase.
The drought warning, Taj Yasin Maimoen continued, is a momentum to improve long-term water management, including by ensuring that development still provides space for water absorption into the ground, because many residential developments use concrete and reduce infiltration areas.
“This is a warning to us that in the future we must improve our land infrastructure, namely by paying attention to soil pores so they are not covered by concrete buildings,” he said.
In addition, during this drought period, the Central Java BPBD has also readied tanker truck fleets to distribute clean water assistance in affected areas and is coordinating with regency/city governments, especially to ensure the availability of clean water.