By: Ricky Rinaldi
The government continues to strengthen recovery efforts in Aceh Tamiang by prioritizing rescue efforts for residents, accelerating emergency aid, and stabilizing affected areas. In a clear directive, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that disaster management must not be hampered by geographical conditions, extreme weather, or logistical constraints. The government, he emphasized, must ensure that all elements of the rescue effort are swift, measured, and effective. Through this instruction, the government emphasized the state’s full presence at the forefront, providing comprehensive protection for communities affected by the massive flooding and infrastructure damage in the region.
The President assessed that recovery in Aceh Tamiang is not limited to distributing basic food supplies and evacuations, but also rebuilding a sense of security, restoring people’s living spaces, and ensuring the continuity of basic needs. The government prioritizes the continuity of public services, including access to healthcare, clean water, and adequate temporary housing. This affirmation demonstrates the government’s attention to the social vulnerabilities that often arise after disasters, particularly the risk of disease, decreased economic activity, and limited mobility of residents due to damaged infrastructure.
In his briefing, the President asked all ministries and institutions to act in a unified manner, ensuring that no area is isolated. He emphasized that adapting logistics distribution must become the new standard for disaster management, allowing air, land, and sea routes to be flexibly mobilized. This approach demonstrates a responsive government model, where rescue strategies are adapted to rapidly changing conditions on the ground due to extreme weather. The government wants to ensure that speed of response is a key factor, as the sooner aid is received by residents, the less severe the subsequent impacts.
Similarly, the government is also prioritizing the construction of safe and functional emergency housing. The President requested that temporary housing be designed with adequate durability, taking seasonal flood patterns into account, and using materials that can be quickly erected yet remain habitable. This approach is designed to ensure that residents have secure housing, avoiding constant movement from one evacuation site to another. Housing stability is considered the foundation for the psychological and social recovery of affected communities, allowing them to gradually return to their normal activities without the stress of uncertainty.
After the President’s directives were reiterated, the Head of the BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, delivered a technical explanation. In several reports, he outlined the progress of disaster management both nationally and specifically in Aceh Tamiang. He stated that extreme weather patterns have triggered an increase in flooding in several areas, necessitating an expansion of aid distribution strategies. This explanation serves as a basis for the government to make more precise decisions. Abdul Muhari emphasized the importance of logistical readiness in regional warehouses and a multi-layered distribution system to prevent delays in aid in areas with difficult access.
In line with the President’s directives, Abdul Muhari also explained that air travel is being maximized when weather permits, particularly to reach areas cut off by major flooding. He emphasized that the use of airplanes and helicopters has become one of the most effective options in emergencies because it allows for the rapid delivery of critical supplies such as medicines, medical equipment, and nutritional needs for vulnerable groups. This narrative demonstrates BNPB’s commitment to translating government instructions into concrete and measurable operational steps.
He explained that land and sea routes continue to be optimally utilized, especially for the distribution of large quantities of supplies that cannot be transported by air. The combination of these three channels forms an adaptive distribution system, ensuring timely aid delivery despite rapidly changing conditions on the ground. According to him, this system has now become standard practice in national disaster management to minimize dependence on a single distribution channel. This ensures that Aceh Tamiang not only receives aid quickly but also ensures continuity of aid supplies during the recovery period.
In a broader report presented by Abdul Muhari, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) also noted the high intensity of disasters in recent months. This has prompted the government to focus on strengthening structural and non-structural mitigation. The report shows that the disaster management patternExtreme weather will continue to occur, so the government must act anticipatively, not just responsively. With this data, the government continues to strengthen regional preparedness by providing evacuation equipment, improving the capabilities of volunteers, and deploying standby logistics at strategic locations.
This entire series of steps demonstrates the continuity between central-level policies and technical implementation on the ground. The President’s directives provide a broad policy framework, while Abdul Muhari’s explanations provide a transparent and data-driven operational overview. Both figures play complementary roles in ensuring that the people of Aceh Tamiang receive not only rapid assistance but also assurance that the recovery process is proceeding as planned. With this collaboration, the government demonstrates that disaster management is not merely reactive, but rather involves a comprehensive approach encompassing rescue, stabilization, rehabilitation, and sustainable recovery.
*)Strategic Issues Observer
