Submerged Village in Lebak Re-emerges Due to Drought

Receding water at the Karian Dam in Lebak Regency, Banten, due to the dry season has prompted residents to revisit their former homes, which have now resurfaced. They are reminiscing as they see the remains of their house structures no longer submerged.

At the bottom of the Karian Dam, traces of community life have been found. A number of house structures are visible, with only walls remaining; the roofs and shapes are no longer the same. Not only houses, but a mosque building is also visible on the ground. This dry season allows residents to recall old stories at the location they once occupied.

The houses were abandoned by residents in 2023. The village was vacated because it was converted into a water catchment area for the Karian Dam. ‘The location is at the end of the inundation area of Sukarame Village and Sukajaya Village, Sajira District, already in the upstream area, and it was originally a densely populated settlement,’ said Maretha Ayu Kusumawati, Head of General Affairs and Administration for the Cidanau Ciujung Cidurian River Basin Agency (BBWS C3).

These structures were not demolished when they were submerged. Officers only cleared the plants in the area. ‘The condition of the entire inundation area, although already acquired, did not involve demolishing all affected buildings. The clearing process carried out by the construction team only involved the vegetation,’ she said. Maretha Ayu mentioned that the water in the reservoir has currently receded by only about 5 percent. This condition makes the abandoned house structures clearly visible. ‘At the flood water level of the reservoir, some houses will be submerged because the height difference from the normal water level is about 3.35 metres. Currently, the elevation has dropped about 80 cm from the normal water level,’ she said.

Several residents have returned to visit their former village. A resident who used to live in the dam area, Odon, said that usually only the mosque roofs were visible when the water was deep. ‘A lot has emerged, like in Susukan Village, Karian, it’s reappeared because the water has receded. Then Somang, Sukajaya Village… Somang is half visible. Sukarame too,’ said Odon. Odon’s house was in Bolang Village, located in the middle of the dam. Although his house is not currently visible, he visited the receded dam two weeks ago. ‘Yes, reminiscing, remembering the land of my birth,’ said Odon. Odon and many other residents did not move far from their old location. They bought houses again near the Karian Dam. Odon said residents usually use rafts when visiting the dam, guessing where their old houses were located. ‘The residents there make rafts, and those who have money buy boats,’ he said.

This is the first time the settlement has clearly emerged since it was submerged in 2023. The condition occurred due to the prolonged dry season. ‘It seems due to the extreme dry season, this is the first time it has been visible,’ said Dedi Yudha Lesmana, Head of the Cidanau Ciujung Cidurian River Basin Agency (BBWSC3). He said that previously, only parts of the buildings were visible in Sukarame Village and Sukajaya Village, Sajira District. Now, although still submerged by about 5 percent water, the buildings are quite clearly visible. Dedi stated that the reservoir water condition is still safe for irrigation in the surrounding area. ‘If the downstream area requires more water, it can still be released from Karian,’ Dedi said.

BBWSC3 claims the water supply and storage in the Karian Dam are still safe for raw water needs and irrigation supply to the Ciujung Irrigation Area. The phenomenon of buildings reappearing at the bottom of the dam is a normal condition and does not indicate any disruption to the dam’s function. Dedi said the total water discharge released is 24 cubic metres per second as irrigation supplementation from the Karian Dam intake to the Pamarayan Baru Weir to serve the Ciujung Irrigation Area. He said the water needs for agricultural land in the service area can still be met. ‘Currently, the Karian Dam’s storage is still safe to meet raw water and irrigation needs. The drop in water level of about 80 centimetres from the normal elevation is a common occurrence during the dry season and is still within the safe operational limits of the reservoir,’ said Dedi.