Rivers dry up, water crisis worsens as El Niño intensifies
In Central Kalimantan, prolonged drought has dried up parts of the Barito River, one of the longest and largest rivers in the Kalimantan region, bringing river transportation to a standstill.
Parts of the Barito River in Central Kalimantan have dried up due to prolonged drought, caused by an intensifying El Niño. This has led to transportation on the river coming to a halt. Many communities are grappling with severe water shortages as the El Niño phenomenon brings extended dry spells, putting residents in danger. People have resorted to purchasing water from mobile vendors since their wells have either gone dry or become murky after four months without rain.
Some individuals are using local rivers for laundry as water supplies dwindle, but the rivers are also drying up, leaving only stagnant pools. Rasini, a resident from Ciganjeng village in Padaherang district, West Java, recounted that her well's water level had dropped significantly over the past two months. The water is now yellow and requires multiple filtrations for safe use.
She now solely depends on purchased water for drinking and other household requirements, expressing hope that authorities will offer assistance to alleviate the financial burden.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
