Displaced Persons in Aceh and North Sumatra Decline by 47.1% Since the Start of Ramadan

The number of disaster-displaced people in Aceh Province and North Sumatra has shown a significant downward trend since the start of Ramadan. In less than two weeks, the number of displaced people decreased by 6,121 people or 47.1% from the Ramadan start. According to the daily report of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) Post-Disaster Sumatra, at the start of Ramadan on 20 February 2026 the number of displaced people was recorded at 12,994, comprising 12,144 in Aceh and 850 in North Sumatra. Meanwhile, West Sumatra Province has no displaced people in tents. As field handling accelerates, the numbers continued to fall. The latest data on Thursday morning (5 March) shows 6,873 displaced people remaining, with 6,187 in Aceh and 686 in North Sumatra. The decline in tent-displaced numbers aligns with accelerated construction of temporary housing (huntara) in the three affected provinces. Based on data from BNPB and the Ministry of Public Works, of the total planned 18,309 huntara units in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, by 4 March 2026 12,279 had been completed, or 67%. In addition to huntara, progress on permanent housing (huntap) continues. Of the total planned 36,669 huntap units in the three provinces, 1,363 are currently under construction and 6 have been completed. On the other hand, the distribution of Housing Waiting Funds (DTH) has been 100% realised. Of the total 10,783 recipients across the three provinces, all have received transfers into their accounts. The Ministry of Social Affairs is also processing the distribution of livelihood guarantees (jadup) assistance for 175,211 people or 47,686 households in 37 regencies/cities across the three affected provinces, with a total budget of Rp 236.53 billion. Earlier, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Head of the PRR Post-Disaster Sumatra Task Force, emphasised that accelerating refugees relocation is a priority in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. ‘We hope that as soon as possible the process can be completed before Eid al-Fitr. If possible, before Eid al-Fitr everyone will not be in tents but in huntara or receiving the housing waiting funds that are provided,’ said Tito in a written statement on Thursday (5 March 2026). That target was announced at the Ministerial-Level Coordinating Meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) in Jakarta, on Friday (27 February).