TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) calls for an alert to the potential for drought in the regions of Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

“Be alert for the areas that we have mentioned, particularly Java regions that are highly vulnerable to drought,” the agency's acting head for disaster data information and communication center, Abdul Muhari, said in the Disaster Briefing in Jakarta, Monday, June 12, 2023.

Abdul reported that drought has already hit West Nusa Tenggara areas that are indeed prone to extremely dry weather based on the data that have been studied for the past 10 years.

For mitigation, the agency is pursuing to conduct weather modification technology by creating artificial rain to fill and maintain the position of water in reservoirs. It is hoped that the water will just decrease a little during the dry season and the water stock remains safe.

“So we don't wait for the dry season to make artificial rain, because if the dry season already comes and we want artificial rain, the clouds will be gone already and we can't do it,” Abdul explained.

Drought, he went on, will greatly impact the Indonesian economy. The agency thus issued this early warning and urges preparation related to the extreme shortage of water in the areas. Meanwhile, BNPB calls for vigilance on the potential for forest and land fires in Sumatra regions.

ANTARA

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