Manggarai Barat declares drought emergency in five districts

Labuan Bajo — The Manggarai Barat government in East Nusa Tenggara declared a drought emergency in five districts on 30 August 2026, after 120 days without significant rainfall, according to Swara-Teritori and information attributed to the local disaster management agency, BPBD.

The emergency covers Komodo, Sano Nggoang, Macang Pacar, Lembor and Welak districts, the report said. It said the declaration was issued under Regent’s Decree No. 180/2026.

Swara-Teritori reported that BPBD data showed the drought had affected 15,000 households, while 75 community springs had dried up completely. The same report said about 2,500 hectares of farmland suffered crop failure and food production in the affected areas fell by up to 70 percent.

Local authorities have begun distributing clean water by tanker to remote villages and are preparing public kitchens in each of the five districts, according to the report. BPBD also said the emergency status allows the regency to access emergency funds and request help from provincial and central government.

The report added that BPBD was coordinating with the Indonesian military, or TNI, on possible helicopter water drops for places that cannot be reached by road. It did not say whether aerial deliveries had already started.

BMKG’s meteorological drought early-warning map for mid-September 2026 also listed Manggarai Barat among districts in East Nusa Tenggara under drought alert, providing wider context for the dry conditions in the regency.

Separate reporting in late August and September described continuing water hardship in Manggarai Barat after the Flores earthquake, including tanker deliveries to residents in Komodo district.

Sources

• Swara-Teritori
• BMKG
• RRI