double-skinned crabsVietnamese crab exportergood crabexellent crab

Govt Plans Major Rebuild After Sumatra Floods Kill Over 1,000

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar
December 16, 2025 | 10:27 am
SHARE
President Prabowo Subianto arrives in Raja Sisingamangaraja XII Airport after visiting the disaster-hit Central Tapanuli in North Sumatra on Dec. 1, 2025. (Antara Photo/Galih Pradipta)
President Prabowo Subianto arrives in Raja Sisingamangaraja XII Airport after visiting the disaster-hit Central Tapanuli in North Sumatra on Dec. 1, 2025. (Antara Photo/Galih Pradipta)

Jakarta. Flash floods and landslides triggered by extreme weather across parts of Sumatra island have killed at least 1,030 people, with more than 200 still missing, disaster authorities said on Tuesday.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the disasters have affected 52 regencies and cities in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra provinces. Around 7,000 people were injured, while nearly 186,500 homes were damaged or destroyed.

Damage to public infrastructure has been extensive. BNPB reported that 1,600 public facilities were affected, including 219 health facilities, 967 schools, 434 places of worship, 290 government and office buildings, and 145 bridges hit by flooding and landslides.

Aceh recorded the highest death toll, with 431 people confirmed dead and 32 still missing. North Sumatra followed with 355 fatalities and 84 people unaccounted for, while West Sumatra reported 244 deaths and 90 missing.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the district level, the hardest-hit area was Agam Regency in West Sumatra, where 184 people were killed. Aceh Utara recorded 163 deaths, followed by Central Tapanuli in North Sumatra with 122 fatalities.

BNPB said the figures remain provisional as search and rescue operations continue in remote and severely damaged areas. “Data on casualties and damage are still being updated in line with ongoing evacuations, searches for missing persons and field assessments,” the agency said in a statement.

Authorities are coordinating closely with local governments, the military, police and volunteer groups to ensure the delivery of emergency logistics, medical assistance and the evacuation of affected residents.

President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the immediate formation of a special body or task force to oversee rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the three provinces, signaling a large-scale government response to the disaster.

“We will immediately form it,” Prabowo said while opening a cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

The president did not provide details on the task force’s membership or an exact timeline for its establishment. However, he said restoring housing and infrastructure would be a top priority in the post-disaster recovery phase.

Through the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, the government plans to begin building temporary shelters and permanent homes for displaced residents. According to initial plans, around 2,000 housing units will be constructed in the first phase.

“We will immediately build temporary housing and permanent housing,” Prabowo said.

He stressed that all state-owned land could be used to accelerate reconstruction, including forest concessions held by state-owned plantation company Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN), if necessary.

“All elements must work together. There should be no excuses. Find land, use available state land. If needed, PTPN land, if needed, forest concessions — we will use them all,” he said.

Prabowo also acknowledged that rebuilding critical infrastructure across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra would take time due to the scale of destruction and ongoing environmental challenges. He estimated it could take at least two to three months before daily life in the affected areas returns to normal.

“I don’t have the staff of Moses. We can’t solve this in three days, four days or five days,” Prabowo said. “Maybe in two to three months, activities will truly return to normal.”

Tags: Keywords:
SHARE

Related Articles


Business 4 hours ago

Prabowo Orders Up to 50 Ethanol Plants to Support E20 Fuel Program

Indonesia plans E20 gasoline within years, backed by up to 50 new ethanol plants and a nationwide sugarcane replanting drive.
News Jul 16, 2026 | 8:35 pm

Prabowo Rejects 'Lazy' Stereotype, Prioritizes Local Jobs at $21b Masela Project

Prabowo urged local hiring at the $21 billion Masela LNG project, saying Indonesia should no longer be underestimated.
Business Jul 13, 2026 | 1:26 pm

IDX Says Prabowo Speeches No Longer Drive Indonesia's Stock Market

DX says global uncertainty, not President Prabowo's speeches, is the main driver of JCI volatility.
News Jul 10, 2026 | 5:41 pm

Prabowo Inaugurates Five Dams to Boost Indonesia's Food and Water Security

President Prabowo inaugurated five dams worth Rp9.79 trillion to strengthen Indonesia's food, water and energy security.
Business Jul 8, 2026 | 5:26 am

Prabowo-Modi Talks Skip Commercial Details on BrahMos Missiles, India Says

Asked about the details of the Brahmos contract, the Indian government says "commercial agreements are not discussed at the highest level.
News Jul 1, 2026 | 11:34 am

Prabowo Lauds Police's Expanding Role Beyond Law Enforcement

President Prabowo praised Indonesia's police for supporting food security as public trust rose to 82.4%, a Kompas survey showed.
Business Jun 29, 2026 | 3:46 pm

Prabowo Targets Slimmer SOEs, Rules Out Layoffs

Prabowo targets cutting SOEs to around 250 within two years, while Danantara says the restructuring will not result in layoffs.
News Jun 26, 2026 | 9:19 pm

Prabowo Orders Tough Action After Woman Allegedly Tortured for Years by Boyfriend

A woman missing for nearly three years was found critically injured, prompting national outrage and a presidential response.
News Jun 23, 2026 | 9:02 pm

Prabowo Says Gov't Has Closed 240 SOEs, Hundreds More to Follow

He said directors and commissioners at state-owned companies receive a minimum monthly salary of Rp 50 million, excluding bonuses.
News Jun 23, 2026 | 1:35 pm

Prabowo Inaugurates 1,151 km of Regional Roads Across 37 Provinces

Prabowo inaugurated 1,151 km of regional roads across Indonesia, calling infrastructure key to economic growth and connectivity.

The Latest


Business 4 hours ago

Prabowo Orders Up to 50 Ethanol Plants to Support E20 Fuel Program

Indonesia plans E20 gasoline within years, backed by up to 50 new ethanol plants and a nationwide sugarcane replanting drive.
Lifestyle 6 hours ago

US, Canada, Mexico Claim Success as World Cup Co-Hosts

US, Canada, Mexico have claimed success as host countries for the World Cup as enthusiasm soars for the final match.
News 7 hours ago

China’s WAICO or US-Led Pax Silica? Indonesia Stays Neutral

Indonesia says that it is taking part in the two AI-related initiatives proposed by the rivalring major powers China and the US.
Business 8 hours ago

JCI Posts Strongest Weekly Gain in Months on Debt Confidence

Indonesia's benchmark index climbed 4.24% this week as healthy external debt data lifted sentiment despite global uncertainties.
News 23 hours ago

Febrie Adriansyah Denies All Allegations After 11-Hour AGO Questioning

Former prosecutor Febrie Adriansyah denied all allegations, including claims he received Rp 50 billion, after an 11-hour AGO questioning.
COPYRIGHT © 2026 JAKARTA GLOBE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED