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NTT experiences water shortages
Around 1,870 villages in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province are currently facing water shortages amid the peak of the dry season
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Around 1,870 villages in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province are currently facing water shortages amid the peak of the dry season.
The NTT Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said that up to 39,879 people were affected by the drought, and due to the continued scarcity of water, affected villagers were being forced to buy water at higher prices from neighboring villages.
Water prices can reach up to between Rp 200,000 (US$16.68) and Rp 300,000 for a 5,000-liter water tank.
BPBD head Tini Thadeus said the provincial administration had requested aid from the central government to tackle the crisis, such as delivering water to the worst-affected areas.
'We require Rp 15 billion to deliver water supplies to affected areas. We have forwarded our request to the central government," he said on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.
"If the proposal is rejected, then regional administrations are on their own to handle the water shortages in their areas.'
Tini said the Rp 15 billion was needed to dig wells in the 10 worst-affected areas in the province. He also noted that the dry season, which tends to peak in October, threatened to disrupt food supplies to 16 of NTT's 22 regencies and municipalities, including Kupang, Malaka, Belu, West Timor, North Central Timor (TTU) and South Central Timor (TTS).
He added that the shortages could spread to neighboring regencies and islands, such as Sumba Island and Flores.
Aside from NTT, a number of areas in Central Java and East Java are also experiencing droughts, which have led to water shortages, while the regional BPBDs periodically distribute water to affected areas. (dyl/nvn)
