Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto said on Monday that restoring infrastructure and daily life in parts of Sumatra hit by devastating floods and landslides could take at least two to three months, citing severe damage and difficult terrain that rule out a quick fix.

Speaking at a full cabinet meeting at the State Palace, Prabowo said the recovery in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra cannot be completed in days or weeks because of the scale of destruction and ongoing natural challenges.

“I have apologized. I don’t have the staff of Moses,” Prabowo said. “We cannot finish this in three days, four days or five days. It may take two to three months before activities are truly back to normal.”

The president said repairs were progressing but warned that expectations must be realistic. While most land routes have been reopened, some areas remain cut off. Electricity has largely been restored, though work continues at several dangerous sites where submerged power lines pose risks.

“There are still hazardous points because cables running through floodwaters are dangerous,” Prabowo said, adding that the Public Works Ministry and state utility PLN are operating under highly challenging conditions to prevent further casualties.

Indonesia’s disaster agency BNPB reported that as of Monday morning, at least 1,016 people had been confirmed dead, 212 were missing and more than 7,600 were injured in the disaster.

Prabowo said the government has deployed more than 50,000 personnel from the military and police — roughly equivalent to 50 battalions — to support emergency response and recovery efforts. Air operations have also been intensified, with more than 60 helicopters and a dozen aircraft flying daily to deliver aid to affected areas.

On housing, the president said he had ordered the Housing and Public Works ministries to immediately begin rebuilding homes for displaced residents. An initial 2,000 housing units will be constructed as part of the early recovery phase.

The government has also sent around 1,000 heavy machines to the disaster zones, including trucks, excavators and water tankers to supply clean drinking water. Additional assistance, such as more water trucks and portable toilets, is continuing to arrive to meet basic needs.

To restore access, Prabowo said authorities are building 50 Bailey bridges at strategic locations, with seven already completed and ready for use to support mobility and logistics distribution.

The president stressed that the measures demonstrate the state’s presence in accelerating post-disaster recovery. “If anyone says the state is not present, we should remain alert,” he said, hinting at what he described as other agendas seeking to exploit the situation.

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