The dry season has struck West Nusa Tenggara, causing a water crisis in nine out of 10 regencies and municipalities in the province. According to the West Nusa Tenggara Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), 674,801 people have been affected by the drought. “We have handled the emergency by distributing water to affected regencies and municipalities,” head of the local BPBD, Ahsanul Khalik, said on Thursday in Mataram, NTB. He said water distribution had been carried out since last week. “The drought and water crisis happens every year in NTB, but this year the affected areas are wider. Therefore, besides water distribution, we also have to think of a long-term solution, such as making a deep well,” he said. Ahsanul said he was talking to other relevant institutions, such as the Public Works and Housing Ministry and the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministr...