Sumenep Regency Government Declares Drought Alert Status
The Sumenep Regency Government, East Java, has declared a drought disaster alert status following widespread reports of drought and clean water shortages during the current dry season.
Speaking in Sumenep on Saturday, the Regent of Sumenep, Achmad Fauzi Wongsojudo, stated that the declaration of alert status is intended to accelerate emergency responses, particularly regarding the clean water needs of residents in affected villages.
“The establishment of this drought status is also an initial step to ensure that handling can be carried out swiftly by the relevant agencies,” he said.
The alert status is formalised under Sumenep Regent Decree Number: 100.3.3.2/185/KEP/013/2026 and will remain in effect for the next six months, subject to field conditions.
A primary priority in the contingency plan is the distribution of clean water to communities facing difficulties in accessing water supplies.
The head of the Sumenep Regency Government also confirmed that he has instructed all village heads to be more responsive in monitoring the conditions within their respective jurisdictions.
Village governments have been requested to report immediately if drought conditions begin to impact either clean water availability or the agricultural sector.
“With this status declaration, we also require village heads to be faster in submitting reports if any village experiences drought and if residents in those areas struggle to obtain clean water,” he added.
The Regent further explained that the emergency alert status is a follow-up to the dry season forecasts provided by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), as well as the Circular Letter from the East Java Provincial Secretary regarding vigilance during the 2026 dry season.
According to the appendix of the Regent’s decree, at least 76 villages across 19 districts have been mapped as potentially experiencing drought, categorised into critical dry, scarce, limited scarce, and critical scarce conditions.