PMI deploys 200 water tankers in national response to clean water crisis

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has readied 200 water tanker trucks to provide national assistance in meeting clean water needs for communities affected by extreme drought. PMI Chairman Jusuf Kalla stated during a preparedness drill in Jakarta on Tuesday that the deployment of hundreds of vehicles is part of a strategic disaster preparedness measure based on forecasting. “We are mobilising 200 water tanker trucks to help communities experiencing clean water shortages due to the extreme drought,” he said. Kalla stressed that water is a vital basic need, and therefore PMI personnel are instructed to immediately be on the ground to distribute supplies when scarcity occurs. As an initial priority, the hundreds of water tankers will be deployed directly to eight provinces predicted to suffer the most severe impacts of the drought. The priority intervention areas include the provinces of Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara. This water crisis mitigation measure is considered crucial, as data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts the peak of this year’s El Niño climate phenomenon will last from July to September, leading to reduced clean water availability. To ensure targeted distribution of logistics, the mechanism for distributing clean water aid in the field will be synchronised through close coordination with local governments and regional disaster mitigation agencies (BPBD). PMI noted that the number of operational vehicles this year has increased compared to the drought response in 2023, when it deployed 126 water tankers to supply 100 million litres of clean water. Kalla added that central and regional management will continue to monitor the dynamics of the dry season and are ready to adjust the intensity of distribution operations according to the escalating needs of the community. “PMI will continue to monitor the development of the dry season and adjust clean water distribution operations according to the needs of communities in affected areas,” he said.