The tidal flood crisis continues to harm the people of Demak District, Central Java. SHEEP Indonesia Foundation has mobilised 5 staff and volunteers in the Sea Rise Impact Assessment Team in Sayung Sub-district, Demak Regency. The assessment was conducted for one day on 2 February 2024 to directly understand the challenges faced by communities affected by tidal floods and initiate cooperation with the Demak Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and related parties to take concrete steps to deal with the flood crisis.
The results of discussions and field monitoring in Sriwulan, Timbulsloko, and Purworejo villages identified four main issues: clean water availability and sanitation, health, housing and recovery, and livelihoods. Climate change, particularly the El Nino and La Nina phenomena, further exacerbates conditions by affecting tidal patterns in the region. Tidal flooding has become an almost unavoidable daily occurrence in the rainy season, causing losses to communities and infrastructure.
The problem has forced communities in the three villages to adapt by raising their houses or building "walls" to prevent water from entering. Structural mitigation efforts are evident in Timbulsloko Village with the construction of a breakwater, but there are still obstacles related to processing seawater into drinking water that need to be overcome. Another problem that is also felt is the high level of water inundation that causes pond land to be unable to be utilised by the community.
Based on the description of these conditions, YSI sees that the adaptation problems faced by the communities in the three villages have prompted mitigation efforts and necessary assistance, but have not been handled properly and there is no support from relevant stakeholders. The results of the assessment conducted by YSI show that community adaptation to tidal flooding requires PHBS (Clean and Healthy Living Behaviour) education, assistance in elevating beds and cooking places, as well as infrastructure support such as adequate water reservoirs and septic tanks. In addition, supporting community livelihoods by providing fish seeds and pond production facilities as well as mangrove seedlings is key to reducing the impact of tidal flooding in Demak District and will focus these efforts in Sriwulan and Timbulsloko villages.