Twenty-four districts and cities in East Java declare drought emergencies

East Java’s drought crisis has spread across 24 of the province’s 38 districts and cities, according to the head of the regional disaster management agency, Gatot Soebroto. The areas have declared either emergency response or emergency alert status.

Twenty districts have started distributing clean water to affected communities. The six districts with emergency response status are Lumajang, Pasuruan, Malang, Mojokerto, Situbondo and Sumenep. Eighteen others have declared emergency alert status, including Bangkalan, Banyuwangi, Blitar, Jember, Sampang, Tulungagung and Probolinggo.

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For the drought, as of today it remains the same. The number of districts and cities that have proposed or issued either emergency alert or emergency response status is 24.

Three areas on Madura Island, Bangkalan, Sumenep and Pamekasan, are receiving particular attention. The agency has sent 5,410 tanker loads of water and prepared about 1,400 tanks, along with collapsible tanks and tarpaulins.

The agency is also using weather modification operations to help address the water shortage and wet mountain and forest areas vulnerable to fire. Gatot said the operation cannot be conducted at will. It only works when rain clouds are present, so officials coordinate with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency to assess cloud and wind movement before targeting an area.

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Weather modification is carried out when there is considered to be potential for rain clouds. Without rain clouds, it is impossible to conduct weather modification.