Drought hits 26 villages in Central Java

Residents in 26 villages in Klaten regency, Central Java have been dealing with a water crisis during the current dry season.

Suwardi, head of social welfare division at the regency secretariat, told Antara news agency Thursday, that the administration has been deploying four tank trucks to distribute water to the drought-stricken villages in Kemalang, Manisrenggo, Tulung and Bayat.

Suwardi said that each tank truck could make three deliveries each day and there have been 1,100 deliveries as of this week.

He said the administration has increased its budget to provide clean water to help drought-stricken residents from Rp 18 million to Rp 168 million (around US$17,000) this year.