Disaster survivors in Pidie Jaya call for relocation to proper housing

Banda Aceh (ANTARA) — Disaster survivors from hydrometeorological disasters in Pidie Jaya District, Aceh Province, who have been living in emergency shelters and tents, are appealing for urgent relocation to more adequate housing.

“I hope to be relocated soon to better housing, whether temporary or permanent shelter. We have now spent three months in evacuation,” said Rizwan, a hydrometeorological disaster survivor in Pidie Jaya, on Saturday.

Rizwan currently lives in an emergency shelter with hundreds of other disaster survivors housed in tents in the courtyard of Gampong Meunasah Raya Mosque in Meurah Dua District, Pidie Jaya District.

Rizwan explained that he cannot return home as his previous residence was flooded by a flash flood caused by the overflow of Krueng (River) Meureudu in late November 2025, leaving the house severely damaged and still buried under three metres of mud.

“Currently, I live with my family in a shelter I built next to the mosque. We along with the evacuees here hope to be relocated soon to more adequate housing,” said Rizwan.

He noted that temporary housing being constructed near the mosque had been partially completed and was ready for occupation. However, placement in the temporary housing was still awaiting a decision from the local government.

“The evacuees here are still waiting for when we will be relocated to temporary housing. We hope that before Eid al-Fitr we can be moved from the tents and shelters to these temporary units,” said Rizwan.

Meanwhile, Keuchik (village head) Meunasah Raya Abdul Halim Ishak reported that 95 temporary housing units were being constructed in the village. To date, construction progress averaged 75 per cent.

“We hope the temporary housing can be completed as quickly as possible so evacuees in this village can have more adequate shelter. Currently, around 500 residents have been evacuated,” he said.

In addition to sheltering in tents and emergency barracks, many residents of Gampong Meunasah Raya are staying with relatives and family members, as their homes remain uninhabitable due to being buried under mud.

“Residents from three hamlets in this village cannot return home as their houses are severely damaged and buried under mud. Additionally, clean water and electricity facilities are also not yet available in these three hamlets,” said Abdul Halim Ishak.