Drought hits Cilacap

CILACAP, Central Java: Water shortages hitting nearly 31 villages in the district of Cilacap, Central Java, have left children in that area suffering from diarrhea.

Community health centers in those villages were packed with patients, mostly children, on Friday.

Besides the diarrhea outbreak, thousands of adults in those villages located in eight subdistricts have found it difficult to get water to wash themselves.

"We can neither take a bath nor boil water. Indeed, we have to queue for hours to get clean water," said Muhammad, 45, a resident in Gandrungmangu village.

The villages include Bantarsari, Kawunganten, Gandrungmangu, Sidareja, Wanareja, and North Cilacap.

Regent of Cilacap Herry Tabri told the press on Friday that the local administration had provided the residents with clean water. "We have supplied 30 containers of clean water."

Herry estimated that those villages would need 1,500 containers, each with a capacity of 6,000 liters until the coming of the rains in October. (45/08)