Sumatra Floods: Govt Speeds Up Aid Distribution

JAKARTA, Dec 10 (Bernama-ANTARA) -- The Indonesian government is speeding up the distribution of logistical aid to residents affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra by optimising all available channels, with 1,638.96 tonnes of aid delivered as of December 9, reported ANTARA news agency.

In a statement on Wednesday, Special Staff to the Vice President, Nico Harjanto, said the aid was dispatched via land, sea, and air routes to ensure the community’s basic needs are met without delay.

"All distribution modes are being optimised so that aid can reach the affected communities as quickly as possible," he said.

He affirmed that the government is utilising land, sea, and air transport to ensure aid reaches even the most hard-to-access areas.

According to him, the Ministry of Social Affairs is at the forefront of the aid distribution effort.

Thousands of packages comprising ready-to-eat meals, children's food, mattresses, blankets, family tents, and clean water supplies have been sent to evacuation sites.

He noted that thousands of government-backed Disaster Preparedness Volunteers (Tagana) are working around the clock to carry out humanitarian operations and address the urgent needs of affected residents.

In addition, a total of 39 public kitchens are on standby, producing hundreds of thousands of meals daily, and 101 tonnes of rice are distributed every day.

Harjanto asserted that the acceleration of logistics distribution is part of the government's comprehensive efforts to maintain the safety and resilience of the affected residents during the emergency response period.

"With the collective efforts of the central and regional governments, recovery is expected to be swift and inclusive, giving the public confidence that we can rise together," he remarked.

Devastating floods and landslides struck three provinces of Sumatra, namely Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, in late November 2025 following periods of heavy rainfall.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) showed that as of December 10, the death toll from the disasters reached 969, and 252 people were still missing.

The catastrophes damaged at least 158,000 houses in 52 affected regions.

--BERNAMA-ANTARA