exellent crabVietnamese crab exporterdouble-skinned crabsgood crab

13,000 Evacuees Still in Temporary Shelters After Sumatra Disasters

Yustinus Paat, Endang Mulyani
February 19, 2026 | 1:22 pm
SHARE
Irmawati, a six-months-pregnant teacher, recalls her struggle to reach safety after massive landslides devastated her village on Nov. 26. She is pictured at a refugee camp in Linge, Aceh, on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2025. (Beritasatu.com/Wahyu Majiah)
Irmawati, a six-months-pregnant teacher, recalls her struggle to reach safety after massive landslides devastated her village on Nov. 26. She is pictured at a refugee camp in Linge, Aceh, on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2025. (Beritasatu.com/Wahyu Majiah)

Jakarta. The number of people displaced by disasters in Sumatra since late November 2025 has fallen sharply from more than 2 million at its peak to fewer than 13,000, as temporary shelter construction reached about 50% completion, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said.

Speaking at a meeting with House of Representatives leaders at the parliamentary complex in Senayan on Wednesday, Tito said 12,994 evacuees remain in emergency tents, down from more than two million in December 2025. The deadly floods and landslides that struck West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh in November claimed about 1,200 lives and caused tens of trillions of rupiah in damage to infrastructure and housing.

Of the 16,688 temporary housing units proposed across affected areas, 8,290 units have been completed, equivalent to roughly half of the target. Progress on permanent housing, however, remains limited. Of 16,329 proposed permanent units, only 1,254 are currently under construction.

In Aceh, authorities proposed 14,697 temporary housing units. For permanent housing, 9,246 units were requested, with 302 units currently under construction.

ADVERTISEMENT

In North Sumatra, 993 temporary units were proposed, with 893 completed. Permanent housing proposals total 3,462 units, of which 297 are under construction.

Meanwhile, West Sumatra proposed 728 temporary units, with 721 completed. Of the 3,611 permanent houses planned, 655 units are currently being built.

To support families during the transition period, the government has distributed a housing waiting allowance of Rp 1.8 million ($106) per household for three months to residents who remain in temporary shelters. Distribution is nearly complete, reaching 93.87 percent of eligible households in Aceh, 99.47 percent in North Sumatra, and around 96 percent in West Sumatra.

The funds were transferred directly to beneficiaries using verified name-and-address data validated by Indonesia’s national statistics agency.

Danantara’s Contribution

Separately, sovereign wealthfund Danantara Indonesia,# reported completing 1,398 temporary housing units across the three provinces as part of its first-phase program, with most units already occupied.

Danantara Chief Operating Officer Dony Oskaria said the agency is proposing additional units, particularly in Aceh and West Sumatra. Danantara is also preparing plans to convert around 15,000 temporary units into permanent housing in coordination with the Ministry of Housing.

“We will begin coordinating permanent housing development in the three provinces,” Dony said, adding that groundbreaking for permanent housing construction is scheduled to begin in West Sumatra on Thursday.

Tags: Keywords:
SHARE

Related Articles


News Apr 13, 2026 | 6:09 pm

‘Who Chose Them?’ Tito Targets Voters After KPK Arrests

Home minister raises questions about direct elections amid growing corruption crackdown.
News Apr 1, 2026 | 2:13 pm

Indonesia Mandates Location Tracking, Rapid Response for WFH Employees

Indonesia requires civil servants to enable location tracking and respond within minutes during weekly WFH under new rules.
News Mar 26, 2026 | 10:22 am

Indonesia Estimates $7.7 Billion Needed for Sumatra Recovery

Indonesia estimates Rp130 trillion for Sumatra recovery over three years, covering infrastructure, schools, and agriculture.
News Feb 19, 2026 | 5:17 pm

Government Needs Rp 529 Billion to Rebuild Disaster-Hit Health Facilities

The Health Ministry has sought funding to restore thousands of facilities damaged by floods and landslides that killed about 1,200 people.
News Feb 19, 2026 | 1:22 pm

13,000 Evacuees Still in Temporary Shelters After Sumatra Disasters

Disaster-related displacement in Sumatra has fallen sharply since late 2025, with temporary housing projects now about halfway to completion
News Jan 16, 2026 | 7:37 pm

Govt Says No Districts Isolated as Sumatra Flood Recovery Enters Second Month

The Public Works Ministry has reconnected all districts isolated by floods and landslides in Sumarea.
News Jan 15, 2026 | 6:44 pm

Indonesia Seeks Rp 60 Trillion to Rebuild Homes, Infrastructure After Sumatra Floods

Indonesia will need nearly Rp 60 trillion to rebuild infrastructure and almost 239,000 homes after deadly floods in Sumatra.
News Jan 7, 2026 | 7:03 pm

Health Ministry Volunteers Reach Sumatra Disaster Zones via Kuala Lumpur

The Health Ministry routed hundreds of volunteers through Kuala Lumpur to reach disaster-hit areas in Sumatra due to flight constraints.
News Jan 7, 2026 | 11:09 am

Prabowo Forms Task Force to Speed Post-Disaster Recovery in Sumatra

President Prabowo has formed a special task force to accelerate recovery and reconstruction in Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra
News Jan 2, 2026 | 9:50 pm

Sumatra Floods Put $24 Billion in Loans at Risk, Regulator Says

OJK says floods in Sumatra could affect nearly $24 billion in loans, prompting a three-year relief program.

The Latest


News 5 hours ago

Dear Mr. President, Don’t Skip ASEAN Summits

Despite calls for Prabowo to stay home, the Indonesian leader still needs to attend ASEAN summits.
Business 6 hours ago

PLN Rushes Coal Supplies After Power Outages Hit Java

PLN is rushing to secure coal supplies after shortages triggered rolling blackouts across Java, disrupting businesses and daily life.
Business 10 hours ago

Japan-Backed ADB Invests in Indonesia’s Human Capital

As many as 399 Indonesian awardees have joined the ADB-Japan Scholarship Program from 1988 to 2024.
Business 11 hours ago

Indonesian Stocks Rise Despite Foreign Outflows as MSCI Review Looms

Indonesia's JCI rose 2.8% as easing geopolitical tensions offset foreign outflows, MSCI concerns and rupiah pressures.
News 11 hours ago

World Cup 2026: Paraguay Holds Off Turkey With 10 Men to Keep Knockout Hopes Alive

Matias Galarza scored after 65 seconds as 10-man Paraguay beat Turkey 1-0, eliminating the Turks and securing first place for the US.
COPYRIGHT © 2026 JAKARTA GLOBE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED