TEMPO.CO, Bandung - West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) reported that as many as 20 regencies or cities in the province hit by drought as of Tuesday, August 5.

The number of areas experiencing water scarcity increased from previously 13 regencies/cities on July 17, said the agency’s head of rehabilitation and reconstruction unit, Budi Budiman Wahyu, in a written statement today, August 6, in Bandung.

The 20 areas include Bekasi, Bogor Regency, Bogor City, Karawang, West Bandung, Sumedang, Tasikmalaya, Bandung Regency, Sukabumi, Purwakarta, Subang, Cirebon, Kuningan, Indramayu, Cianjur, Tasikmalaya, Cirebon, Ciamis, Majalengka, and Garut.

Budi outlined that 20,621 hectares of land were affected, and some 166,957 families were lacking clean water during this prolonged dry season.

“We have distributed 1,799,100 liters of clean water to those in need,” he added.

Meanwhile, West Java Governor M Ridwan Kamil was mulling over the establishment of alert status of drought as recommended by BPBD of West Java. “I’m still studying it because actions have been taken. Regents and mayors have held rotating irrigation,” said Ridwan Kamil in several days ago.

Additionally, the tap water operator PDAM had supplied clean water for affected residents. “We are also studying the weather modification with BMKG,” the governor said.

ANTARA