Residents in the sub-districts of Agandugume, Lambewi, and Oneri in Puncak District, Central Papua, are facing hunger brought on by a drought that has led to crop failures.
The drought and cold weather have caused the region's key crop yam to rot, forcing locals to eat spoiled tubers, Effendy informed.
The minister said he was angered by the statement that the six residents in Central Papua died of diarrhea. However, the reality on the ground was that they died of diarrhea because they had no other choice than to eat spoiled tubers.
Effendy said that the government is looking for a solution to identify the types of tubers that can survive extreme weather so that food availability in Puncak regency can be maintained in all conditions.
Indonesia is expecting a severe dry season due to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon this year, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said.
The agency predicted that the peak of the dry season in Indonesia will occur from August to September, with some regions facing extreme drought due to the El Nino weather pattern.
Puncak is located near the highest mountain in Indonesia, Puncak Jaya, one of the only places where snow falls in the country.
The drought has affected the lives of around four thousand families across Puncak regency. The government has distributed aid in stages to the three affected sub-districts.
The government is also planning to build a logistics warehouse in Agandugume Sub-district, Puncak District, Central Papua, to anticipate food shortages caused by drought.
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Translator: Shofi Ayudiana, Asep Firmansyah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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