The eight districts and municipalities were Manado, Bitung, Bolaang Mongondow, North Bolaang Mongondow, East Bolaang Mongondow, Southeast Minahasa, North Minahasa, and Sitaro Islands, he said here on Monday.
In Bitung, severe dry spell affected the sub-districts of Aertembaga, North Lembeh and Matuari. In Manado, the drought-hit sub-districts were Mapanget, Malalayang and Bunaken. In Bolaang Mongondow, Bolaang and North Dumoga sub-distr4icts were hit by extreme dry season.
The other sub-districts facing drought were Central Siau and Tagulandang in Sitaro Islands, Kotabunan in East Bolaang Mongondow, West Likupang, East Likupang and Wori in North Minahasa, Ratahan in Southeast Minahasa, and Kaidipang in North Bolaang Mongondow District.
Based on data per September 1, 2019, the sub-districts have no rains for more than 31 days.
Related news: Nearly 50 million Indonesians threatened by extreme drought
In the meantime, there have been no rains for the last 21 days in Pinogaluman sub-district in East Bolaang Mongondow District, Pineleng Sub-district in Minahasa District, Ratatotok Sub-district in Southeast Minahasa Tenggara, and Lirung Sub-district in Talaud Island District.
"We urge local inhabitants to remain vigilant of drought and possible fires," he said.
An El Nino-induced severe dry spell has cast a pall over 100 districts and cities in Indonesia's provinces of Aceh, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara.
Most parts of Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara have not received rains for nearly 60 days. The extreme dry season has impacted 102,746 hectares (ha) of agricultural area and ruined 9,358 ha.
The National Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast extreme dry season until September.
The government has forecast that the current drought, which is drier than that of last year, would spread to 28 out of the country's 34 provinces, and could affect 48,491,666 people.
Related news: Baswedan urges Jakartans to conserve water amid unrelenting dry spell
Translator: Karel AP, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
