Garut BPBD Assesses Drought-Prone Areas for Mitigation

The Garut Regency Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) in West Java has deployed teams to assess areas at risk of drought due to the dry season as a preparatory measure for rapid and accurate response to minimise risks. Head of BPBD Garut, Aah Anwar Saefuloh, stated that the agency is currently conducting outreach in every sub-district, focusing on drought-prone areas. He noted that BPBD Garut has been preparing for the potential threat of drought, which could cause difficulties for residents in accessing water and disrupt agricultural land. The agency had previously mapped drought-prone areas, especially regions that typically experience the dry season’s impact earlier, to ensure they receive special attention in handling efforts. Saefuloh mentioned that BPBD Garut has not yet received any reports from the public regarding drought disasters, clarifying that a previous case of water shortage in Sucinaraja was due to damaged piping networks. Regarding the regional water company PDAM beginning to distribute clean water to areas like Cibalong and Pameungpeuk, he said his agency has not received reports on the conditions there, suggesting that residents may have requested assistance directly from PDAM, which then responded quickly. He added that BPBD Garut is currently preparing a coordination meeting with all relevant stakeholders on drought preparedness. The possibility of imposing a drought emergency status will be considered based on field conditions, and the agency will push for its implementation if necessary.