Water crisis plagues NTT

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) residents have begun feel the bite of a water crisis. On Thursday, thousands of residents in South Central Timor, Kupang, Alor and North Flores regencies began to face difficulties in getting water. Due to a lack of water, some residents have to walk several kilometers for water and crops were being threatened.

Lelin Itha Ndun, a priest at Pitay church in Kupang regency, said that the water in a well near the church was running low.

In Amarasi district, Kupang regency, crops are wilting, raising concern about an imminent harvest failure.

Djibrael Daping, an official at East Nusa Tenggara's Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Office, said that the government was planning to dig six new wells in South Central Timor regency and another one in Kupang regency in order to help tackle the water crisis. -- JP