Prolonged Drought: The Citarum Riverbed Turned into Farmland

Residents pull a water hose from the Citarum River, whose flow has dwindled in Cililin, West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Friday, 23 October 2026. The Citarum, which supplies water to Saguling Reservoir as well as drinking-water and raw-water systems and irrigation, has dried up after months of drought, exposing expanses of sediment that residents are using as farmland.

Residents work farmland along the Citarum River, where water levels have fallen in Cililin, West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Friday, 23 October 2026. The river’s flow has dwindled after months of drought, revealing sediment beds that local people have put to agricultural use.

The Citarum River’s flow has receded, leaving land now used for farming in Cililin, West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Friday, 23 October 2026. The river supplies water to Saguling Reservoir, drinking-water and raw-water systems, and irrigation. Months of drought have caused it to dry up, exposing sediment that residents are using to grow crops.