Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra. Flash floods and landslides hit Central Tapanuli Regencyagain on Monday after heavy rain caused rivers to overflow, reviving trauma from the devastating disaster that struck parts of Sumatra late last year.

Hours of intense rainfall sent muddy floodwaters mixed with logs crashing into residential areas in Lopian subdistrict of Badiri district and parts of Tukka district. The overflowing Lopian River inundated hundreds of homes, with water levels rising to chest height in some areas, forcing residents to flee to higher ground.

The fast-moving floodwaters paralyzed traffic along the Sibolga–Padang Sidempuan national road, a key transport link in western North Sumatra. A sedan was swept away by the current, while access roads in Lopian were completely cut off, leaving the area inaccessible to vehicles.

Landslides were also reported along the Tarutung–Sibolga route, severing road access for travelers heading toward Sibolga and Central Tapanuli. Authorities warned that continued rainfall could trigger further slope failures and river overflows.

Local government officials had yet to issue an official damage assessment, but search-and-rescue teams and emergency workers were deployed to evacuate residents and provide assistance in affected areas.

The latest flooding comes less than three months after widespread floods and landslides devastated parts of Sumatra in November, killing more than 1,200 people across North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh, with at least 140 people still reported missing.

In response to the earlier disaster, the Ministry of Public Works said it had restored access to all previously isolated districts across Sumatra. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said earlier this year that no regencies or municipalities remained cut off more than 50 days after the November floods and landslides.

Meanwhile, sovereign wealth fund Danantara has launched a temporary housing program to support displaced residents in disaster-prone areas. The initiative aims to build 15,000 temporary homes across Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra, including about 2,000 units in South and Central Tapanuli.

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