Disaster Response Task Force Accelerates Relocation of Sumatra-Aceh Evacuees Before Eid
Indonesia’s Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force (Satgas PRR) for Post-Disaster Sumatra is targeting the relocation of all evacuees still living in emergency tents in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra to proper housing before Eid al-Fitr 2026. The target was announced during a ministerial coordination meeting held at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) in Jakarta.
Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Chair of Satgas PRR for Post-Disaster Sumatra, stated that accelerating evacuee relocation has become a primary focus during the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase as the number of residents living in emergency tents continues to decline.
“We hope to complete this as quickly as possible before Eid. Ideally, before Eid no one will be living in tents but rather in temporary housing or receiving housing assistance funds that are being provided,” he said in a written statement on Saturday (28 February 2026).
From over two million residents affected during the initial phase of the disaster, as of 27 February 2026, 11,307 people remain living in evacuation tents. The majority of evacuees are in Aceh with 10,394 people, whilst North Sumatra has 913 remaining, and all evacuees in West Sumatra have already left emergency tents.
To accelerate relocation, Satgas PRR is promoting the construction of temporary housing (huntara), permanent housing (huntap), and the disbursement of housing assistance funds. Based on data from 27 February 2026, the target for temporary housing construction across the three provinces stands at 18,253 units with 10,498 units completed, representing approximately 57 per cent of the target.
Permanent housing construction is also progressing with 1,363 units completed out of a target of 36,669 units currently under construction. Meanwhile, six permanent housing units in West Sumatra have been reported as completed.
In addition to housing, assistance for repairing damaged homes continues to be distributed in phases. From more than 73,000 homes identified as damaged, verification and disbursement of repair assistance is being accelerated so that affected communities can undertake repairs independently.
Satgas PRR is also ensuring that inter-ministerial and inter-agency coordination with local government is continuously strengthened. Support from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and other relevant institutions, as well as provincial and district governments, is considered crucial to enable affected communities to promptly occupy safe and adequate housing.