Government Aid Arrives, Disaster-Affected Communities in Sumatra Begin to Breathe a Sigh of Relief
Disaster response efforts for floods and landslides in several regions of Sumatra continue to show positive progress.
Government assistance delivered in stages has begun to be directly felt by affected communities, especially in Aceh, allowing the recovery process to move forward and residents to gradually breathe a sigh of relief.
The government, together with state-owned enterprises (BUMN), has deployed 1,066 volunteers and 109 truck fleets carrying humanitarian aid to support emergency response efforts. Aceh has become one of the initial priority areas for aid distribution.
The assistance includes basic necessities such as food, clean water, baby supplies, medicines, tents, blankets, and other supporting logistics.
Chief Operating Officer of Danantara Indonesia and Head of the BUMN Agency, Dony Oskaria, emphasized that BUMN involvement reflects a sense of national responsibility.
“BUMN belong to the people of Indonesia. Therefore, whenever the people are in need, our presence is not a choice, but an obligation,” he said.
On the other hand, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) have played a key role as the backbone of infrastructure recovery, particularly in restoring bridges and vital access routes damaged by the disaster.
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (KSAD), General Maruli Simanjuntak, stated that the Indonesian Army had been directly assigned to handle damaged bridges across Sumatra under the President’s directive.
“In this regard, we have also been appointed as the task force commander to manage bridges throughout Indonesia. The President has instructed me to focus on disaster-affected areas,” Maruli said.
The Indonesian Army has prepared 18 Bailey bridge units for affected areas. To date, seven Bailey bridges have been completed and are already in use by the public, while the remaining 11 are still under construction and in the process of material delivery.
“So far, we have completed seven Bailey bridges. Six are in the installation stage, five units have arrived at ports, and three are still delayed on the roads because the access roads need repairs,” Maruli explained.
He added that the work has been carried out under difficult terrain and limited access conditions. “To reach the current situation, I believe our personnel have worked extraordinarily hard,” he said.
In addition to Bailey bridges, the Indonesian Army is also handling plans to repair 37 Aramco bridges.
Maruli explained that the process is more complex, as it requires detailed surveys and the delivery of construction materials from Jakarta, where stock availability is limited.
Central government support has also been strengthened through the provision of clothing assistance. Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian stated that new clothing aid has been prepared for disaster-affected residents in Sumatra.
“The total is 106,000 pieces,” Tito said, referring to new clothing supplied by national garment companies.
