Aceh/W. Sumatra/N. Sumatra. A six-months-pregnant teacher fought uphill through the storm to survive, a man waded through wreckage in a desperate search for his nephew, and a mother watched her home crumble beneath merciless floods.

The devastation wrought by Cyclone Senyar, compounded by suspected deforestation, has left hundreds dead, hundreds more missing, and millions displaced across Sumatra.

‘We thought the worst was over," recalled Irmawati, the pregnant teacher in Kute Reje, Aceh, describing the night that will forever haunt her.

On Wednesday, Nov. 26, torrential rains triggered massive landslides and flash floods across Gayo in Central Aceh Regency. Entire villages were swept away, roads obliterated, bridges collapsed, and thousands of residents found themselves trapped in isolated communities with little hope of immediate rescue.

For Irmawati, the chaos began when the Delung Sukinel and Kute Reje rivers overflowed without warning, destroying rice fields, plantations, and 83 homes.

“But the rain never stopped,” she said, tears in her eyes. As the rivers merged and surged, water engulfed her home. Forced to flee in darkness, she and 35 others climbed the steep slopes of Bukit Reje Tiang, the area’s highest hill, in a perilous 11-hour trek through relentless rain.

Her drive was not fear for her own life, but concern for her child, far away at an Islamic boarding school. ‘If I didn’t save myself, who would take care of my child? Who would send money or help with daily needs?’ she said. Remarkably, her younger children, aged three and six, accompanied her on the journey. “Not a single thorn hurt us. Allah gave us strength,” she added.

By dawn, Irmawati and her group reached relative safety in Linge. Yet her thoughts remained with thousands still trapped in Kute Reje, Delung Sukinel, Jamat, and Reje Payung—villages cut off by landslides and collapsed bridges. “Our relatives there can only pray and hope. There is no way out; they are completely surrounded,” she lamented.

North Aceh Regent Ismail A. Jalil, also known as Ayahwa, could not hold back tears as he described the current conditions of the widespread floods in the regency. He apologized, saying the local government could no longer handle the disaster’s impact and appealed for assistance from the central government and all relevant parties.

“We in the region have tried our best, but we truly can no longer cope,” Ayahwa said, choking back tears during a press conference at the North Aceh Regent’s Office, which has now been converted into an emergency flood response post, on Wednesday

In West Sumatra, the destruction was equally catastrophic. Agus Salim, a resident of Palembayan in Agam Regency, has spent six grueling days searching for his young nephew, swept away by flash floods on Nov. 27. Torrents from surrounding hills carried away homes and uprooted trees, leaving chaos in their wake.

“When it happened, I was swept along with my mother and nephew. I clutched them with all my strength, but eventually, they were torn from my arms,” Agus recounted, voice quivering. Though he later found his mother alive, his nephew remains missing. Every morning, Agus searches the debris-laden riverbanks, wading through mud, fallen trees, and shattered structures, hoping for a sign of his family member.

In Padang, West Sumatra, heavy rains on Nov. 28 triggered flash floods in Gunung Nago, Pauh District. Homes were swallowed within minutes, and residents woke to the sound of water crashing against walls. Survivor Marlina, 51, watched helplessly as her home was reduced to rubble. “All I had was swept away… the only thing left was the clothes on my back,” she said. She and her children sought higher ground, finding temporary refuge in a relative’s home, though the trauma lingers.

Supply shortages have compounded the humanitarian crisis. In North Sumatra’s North Tapanuli, residents have endured days-long queues at fuel stations as floods and landslides severed road access. Romeo Tambunan described waiting seven hours for fuel, which his vehicle had run out of mid-journey. “We hope authorities restore supplies soon so people can continue their travel and daily life,” he said.

Desperation has also led to looting. In Sibolga city and neighboring Tapanuli Tengah district, residents forced their way into a state logistics warehouse to take rice, cooking oil, and sugar after prolonged delays in government relief. National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo said all detainees had been released, citing the extreme conditions. “They urgently needed food supplies, and all of them have now been released,” he said.

The scale of the disaster is staggering. According to Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of Dec. 4, 2025, the floods and landslides have claimed 776 lives, with 564 still missing. Millions have been displaced: 1.5 million in Aceh, 538,000 in North Sumatra, and 106,200 in West Sumatra. Another 2,600 people have been injured.

Thousands of logs swept from forested areas became battering rams, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and contributing to higher fatalities as they crashed into residential zones. Across 50 districts and municipalities, 10,400 homes were damaged. Public facilities were also destroyed, including 354 public buildings, 132 houses of worship, nine health facilities, and 100 government and office buildings. The education sector suffered heavily, with 213 schools damaged, while 295 bridges remain partially or completely impassable, hampering rescue and relief efforts.

North Sumatra recorded the highest fatalities at 299, followed by Aceh with 277, and West Sumatra with 200. Agam District suffered most severely, with 147 deaths as flash floods carrying mud and timber left little time for residents to escape. Aceh Utara reported 112 fatalities, while Tapanuli Tengah recorded 86, where blocked roads and destroyed bridges initially hindered emergency response.

Search-and-rescue operations continue, with teams from BNPB, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), TNI-Polri, and local governments deployed to isolated communities. Authorities are also assessing environmental damage, noting that deforestation and terrain degradation may have worsened the floods. During the operations, Reno, a police K-9, tragically died from exhaustion.

Authorities continue to urge displaced residents to remain in shelters while relief, including food, medicine, and temporary housing, is distributed. Helicopters are being considered to reach villages still cut off by landslides.

Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced that eight companies will be summoned next week over allegations that deforestation contributed to the floods and landslides. “They may have permits, but if there is environmental damage, that falls under the authority of the environment minister,” Hanif said. Preliminary findings show that 340,000 hectares of forest, including 50,000 hectares upstream, were cleared, reducing the land’s ability to absorb rainwater.

President Prabowo Subianto has faced mounting pressure to declare a national emergency, which would expedite aid and disaster coordination. During a visit to affected areas, he said he had no plans to raise the emergency status, citing that the “situation has improved.”

Think-tank Celios estimates that the Sumatra floods could shrink Indonesia’s economy by Rp 68.67 trillion ($4.1 billion), with the impact felt even in provinces far from Sumatra, including Jakarta, which may lose at least Rp 1.88 trillion due to disrupted flows of consumer goods and industrial raw materials.

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