At least seven Indonesian dams have dried up; 20 others remain on alert: BNPB

AntaraSeven dams in Indonesia have dried up, while twenty others are on alert as the country has endured a prolonged dry season expected to last until October, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) says.

BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho cited on Friday data from the Public Works Ministry that has been monitoring conditions at 70 different Indonesian dams.

He also said that the volume of water at those dams was significantly less than recorded data from last year. “The seven dry dams are in Central Java, including Plumbon, Kedungguling, Ngancar, Lalung, Delingan, Botok and Brambang,” Sutopo said during a press statement sent to The Jakarta Post.

“Large dams on alert status include Saguling, Cirata, Jatiluhur in West Java; Bili-Bili in South Sumatra, Sermo in Yogyakarta and Song Putri, Nawangan, Sudirman and Rawapening in Central Java,” he added.

Sutopo said the government had been preparing for artificial rain to anticipate “extreme” conditions, namely if water supplies could not last until October.