Drought exposes former village in Indonesia's Karian Reservoir

Drone footage released on Monday captured the skeletal outlines of homes, roads and a former school reappearing along the banks of Indonesia’s Karian Reservoir as water levels receded dramatically during an extended drought. The reservoir, created in 2013 to supply irrigation and hydro‑electric power to the South Sulawesi province, had submerged the village of Kambang in 2014, prompting the relocation of its residents to nearby highland settlements. Satellite images and on‑the‑ground reports confirm that the reservoir’s water volume fell by roughly 40 percent over the past six months, exposing the long‑buried infrastructure.

Local officials from the South Sulawesi Water Authority said the drought, linked to lower-than‑average rainfall across the region, has accelerated the reservoir’s depletion, raising concerns about water security for agriculture and power generation. They noted that the exposed structures are being monitored for safety and that the government is assessing potential measures to mitigate future water shortages, including improved water‑management practices and the exploration of alternative sources. The visual evidence of the submerged village underscores the broader environmental challenges facing Indonesia’s water resources amid shifting climate patterns.