Drought hits Gunungkidul

Drought hits Gunungkidul

YOGYAKARTA: With the rainy season still at least four months
away, the southern part of Gunungkidul regency, about 60
kilometers east of here, is already suffering from drought.

Almost all of the regency's 50 lagoons, which are used to hold
rain water during the dry season, are already dry, spokesman for
the regency administration, Basuki Rochim, said.

Drought is a serious problem in the southern subdistricts of
the barren regency and in the past the government has sent trucks
of drinking water to the stricken areas during the dry season.

Basuki said that the drought about 100,000 people were
currently affected by the drought. He said that the local
administration had prepared 10 trucks to carry water to affected
villages.

In times of water crisis residents have to buy drinking water
for Rp 1 per liter, Antara reported. (pan)