1,558 Flood-Affected Places of Worship in Sumatra Have Resumed Use

JAKARTA - Of the 1,558 places of worship affected by the Sumatra floods, they have already returned to use. The remaining 35 buildings are still in the handling process because they experienced severe damage up to being swept away. In Aceh, 906 out of 918 places of worship have already returned to use. Meanwhile, in North Sumatra, 552 out of 571 places of worship have been operational. Then in West Sumatra, 100 out of 104 places of worship have been reactivated. “Meanwhile, the distribution of budget assistance in North Sumatra is still in the completion process with a small portion of the budget not yet disbursed due to the relocation of buildings to safer locations,” said the Head of the PRR Task Force, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, in his statement quoted on Saturday (11/4/2026). Furthermore, Tito stated that the rehabilitation of places of worship is a serious concern of the government because they play an important role in restoring the spirit and peace of the community post-disaster. “Not only that, the PRR Task Force also routinely distributes worship equipment assistance to affected communities as part of non-physical recovery. This step is expected to accelerate the return of religious activities which are an important foundation in building community social resilience,” Tito concluded.