Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, known as BNPB, has reported that there are 961 confirmed fatalities, 234 individuals missing, close to 5,000 injured, and nearly 1 million people displaced after weeks of severe flooding and landslides on Sumatra Island.
BNPB communicated to President Prabowo Subianto that 975,075 individuals are currently residing in temporary evacuation centers, with most coming from Aceh province in northwestern Sumatra.
More than 156,000 homes have been reported damaged due to the flooding and landslides. The situation has worsened due to thick mud and debris washed away, leading to an increase in illnesses like diarrhea, muscle pain, and various fevers.
Many hospitals and clinics across Sumatra have suffered significant damage and are now unsanitary. A staff member from Aceh Tamian Hospital noted that medical equipment was covered in mud and essential supplies were lost in the flood. Critical equipment in the pediatric intensive care unit was also damaged, leading to at least one child’s death.
“This is an extraordinary disaster. Everything has been destroyed,” a nurse expressed, reflecting the overwhelming distress of the situation.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health announced plans to prioritize repairing the damaged hospitals in Aceh and to send doctors and trainees from across the country to address staffing shortages. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin mentioned that doctors have been dispatched to treat common post-flood illnesses.
Sadikin also requested approximately 300 military doctors from the Ministry of Defense to aid in this effort. Additionally, a group of trained elephants has been brought in to help clear debris from roads in the Aceh district of Pidi Jaya.
A government official stated that the estimated cost of rebuilding Sumatra could exceed $3.11 billion, a figure that may rise further as more damage is assessed. The government aims to build temporary housing units to accommodate the displaced populations until reconstruction efforts begin.
There is noticeable discontent among the public regarding the government’s response to the flooding crisis. Deputy Interior Minister Bima Aliya Sugiarto announced a special inspector general would monitor regional leaders’ performance. Local officials found guilty of administrative errors could face sanctions.
Public outrage also erupted after comments by Regent Mirwan MS of South Aceh province surfaced, revealing he had traveled to Saudi Arabia for a Muslim pilgrimage while his region was inundated with floods. His travel agency sparked backlash with photos of him in Saudi Arabia as residents battled the disaster.
Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf stated that Mirwan had applied for leave for the November pilgrimage, but his request was formally denied. Mirwan’s office asserted he did not leave for Saudi Arabia until he was confident that the situation had improved.
The Indonesian government is also planning to summon eight land development companies to discuss how large-scale logging and mining activities may have contributed to environmental degradation. Environmentalists argue that deforestation has intensified flooding and landslides, while also criticizing the government for permitting such activities that worsen these disasters.
