Rainless days trigger drought disaster in Pasuruan, East Java: BNPB

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has stated that a phenomenon of rainless days has triggered drought and a clean water crisis affecting several areas in Pasuruan Regency, East Java. Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Centre, said in Jakarta on Friday that this meteorological drought is occurring in stark contrast to conditions in other parts of the country still experiencing wet hydrometeorological disasters such as flooding. “Although floods are currently hitting a number of regions, the phenomenon of rainless days triggering drought has also been reported in several places, the latest being identified in the Pasuruan Regency area,” he said. Abdul explained that based on periodic reports from the local Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the clean water supply crisis was officially reported on Thursday morning around 7:30 a.m. local time. The population directly affected by the reduced water source discharge in the downstream area of Pasuruan is reported to be at least 211 families. In response to the emergency, Abdul said the Pasuruan Regency BPBD rapid reaction team, together with relevant officials, has carried out tactical operations on the ground by periodically distributing clean water supplies using tanker trucks to residents at collection points. The BNPB has urged local governments and communities in vulnerable areas to optimise water resource management and finalise mitigation measures to anticipate the expansion of drought impacts leading up to the peak of the dry season expected in August.