Drought in Central Java Spreads to 25 Regions
The drought affecting Central Java has expanded to cover 25 regencies and cities. Based on data up to the end of July, 6.8 million litres of clean water have been distributed to assist 61,139 families, or approximately 184,643 people, affected by the prolonged dry season since last June.
Monitoring on Tuesday (28/7) showed that the prolonged absence of rain has caused wells and springs to dry up. This condition has forced tens of thousands of residents in hundreds of villages to rely solely on clean water aid for their daily needs.
In Grobogan Regency, residents are forced to seek water sources in other villages several kilometres away. Lasmini (48), a resident of Toroh, revealed that she had to filter murky water from a shallow well on the edge of a rice field to meet her eating and drinking needs.
A similar situation occurred in Kalikayen Village, Ungaran Timur District, Semarang Regency. Local resident Sunarti said that rain had not fallen for almost two months. “The water in the well near the forest has receded, while many people are taking it. To get one bucket of water, you have to wait all day,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Rowosari and Mangunharjo sub-districts, Tembalang District, Semarang City, residents are struggling to get water for cooking. Although water for bathing and washing is still available in limited quantities, for consumption residents must buy from travelling vendors or contribute money to order water tankers.
The Head of the Grobogan Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Wahyu Tri Darmawanto, confirmed that the threat of drought in his area is increasing. Currently, 34 villages in 8 sub-districts are affected, including Grobogan, Toroh, Wirosari, Kedungjati, Purwodadi, Geyer, and Tawangharjo. “To meet the clean water needs of residents, we have prepared 120 water tanks which began distribution in early July,” Wahyu explained.
In Semarang Regency, the Head of BPBD, Alexander Gunawan Tribiantoro, stated that his agency had distributed 16 water tanks, equivalent to 80,000 litres. He acknowledged that requests for assistance continue to rise as more villages experience drought.
The Head of the Central Java Provincial BPBD, Bergas Catursasi Penanggungan, outlined a significant increase in affected areas. While only 19 areas were recorded in mid-July, the number has now jumped to 148 villages across 83 sub-districts in 25 regencies and cities. Bergas added that 11 regions in Central Java have now declared a drought emergency status. Integrated measures and inter-regional coordination are being strengthened to ensure the community’s basic clean water needs are met throughout the dry season.