TEMPO.CO, Kupang - "Based on the data from the NTT Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), 150 villages [in 15 regencies] have been hit by drought," said NTT BPBD Chairman Tini Thadeus to Tempo, yesterday. The drought is caused by the prolonged dry season in the areas. In East Sumbawa village, a famine case was also reported.
The local government has stepped in by giving aids in the form of clean water distributed in 10 villages in one regency.
The NTT provincial government has also built two artesian wells in Central Sumba regency and Sikka regency.
According to Tini, NTT BPBD has only received a fund of Rp4 billion from the central government to overcome drought in those areas.
"The approved fund reaches Rp7 billion, but only Rp4 billion has been disbursed," she said.
In terms of the famine in East Sumba, the local government has not received aids from the provincial government, she added. "The regent still has the authority to distribute 100 tons of rice."
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecast that the rainy season in East Nusa Tenggara is expected by the end of December.
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