150 NTT villages face severe water shortages in prolonged 2026 dry season

East Nusa Tenggara — At least 150 villages in 12 districts across four regencies of East Nusa Tenggara are facing severe water shortages amid an unusually long and dry season that began in June 2026, according to the provincial disaster management agency (BPBD NTT) as reported by local media.

The affected regencies are Timor Tengah Selatan, Belu, Malaka and Rote Ndao, where more than 80,000 residents are reported to be struggling to access clean water. BPBD NTT data as of 22 August 2026 identifies extreme drought conditions in these areas, prompting an emergency response status from the provincial government and related agencies.

According to BPBD NTT figures cited by Swara Teritori, the shortages are linked to the drying up of wells, springs and small reservoirs or embung in multiple communities. The current dry conditions are consistent with forecasts from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), which has warned that the 2026 dry season will be drier and longer than normal and that much of NTT would enter and remain in low rainfall conditions from April through at least September.

Distribution and affected areas

BPBD NTT’s assessment, reported by Swara Teritori, breaks down the impact as follows: Timor Tengah Selatan accounts for 60 affected villages, Belu 40 villages, Malaka 30 villages and Rote Ndao 20 villages, for a total of 150 villages.

The agency reports that many of the affected communities in Timor Tengah Selatan are located in dry, sloping terrain that complicates tanker distribution. In Belu, hilly topography is also cited as an obstacle to moving water to isolated settlements. In Rote Ndao, declining water levels in communal embung have left around 20 villages effectively cut off from local raw water sources.

BPBD NTT data also indicate that drought conditions are affecting agriculture, with approximately 5,000 hectares of maize and rice fields damaged by crop failure in the four regencies. The shortage is reported to be most acute for domestic use in Malaka, where older people and young children are highlighted as vulnerable groups.

Emergency response

BPBD NTT states that the provincial government and affected regency administrations have activated emergency measures in response to the crisis. These measures include the deployment of water tankers to critical locations in the 12 districts, with deliveries prioritised by severity of need.

According to the same report, the Indonesian military (TNI) has been involved in supplying and treating remaining river water using mobile treatment units, while humanitarian organisations such as the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and UNICEF are assisting with the provision of clean water and hygiene supplies. BPBD NTT also reports that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has allocated funding to support emergency operations and initial recovery in the affected areas.

Climatic context

The local crisis is unfolding against a wider pattern of below-normal rainfall and prolonged dry conditions across East Nusa Tenggara in 2026. BMKG’s national outlook and regional climate analyses indicate that NTT entered the dry season around April 2026 and that most of the province has experienced low rainfall, with the peak of the dry season occurring in August and September.

BMKG has projected that the 2026 dry season in NTT would be characterised by below-normal rainfall and a longer duration than the historical average, influenced in part by strong El Niño conditions. Subsequent analyses and forecasts in August and early September show low rainfall persisting in NTT and other parts of eastern Indonesia, suggesting that drought stress could continue through at least October.

In response to the wider risk of drought, BMKG and local commentators have recommended strengthening early-warning systems, improving the management of reservoirs and infiltration wells, and developing additional raw-water sources in NTT. Local authorities in other regencies, such as Manggarai Barat, have already declared drought emergencies, underscoring how water scarcity is affecting multiple parts of the province.

Sources

• Swara Teritori
• BMKG – Prediksi Musim Kemarau Tahun 2026 di Indonesia (and related national outlooks and updates)
• Pos Kupang / Tribun Network – opinion and analysis on anticipating a drier 2026 dry season in NTT