Flood Refugees in Tents Reduced by 56 Per Cent Within Four Days
The Indonesian government’s disaster recovery task force, headed by the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, appears on track to achieve its goal of emptying refugee tents before Eid al-Fitr. The task force has managed to reduce the number of refugees in tents by 56 per cent within four days.
The process of clearing tents involves relocating refugees to temporary housing (huntara) on a massive scale. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that relocated residents receive logistical assistance including basic food supplies and temporary housing equipment such as mattresses, stoves, mats, fans, and plastic carpets.
“Families occupying temporary housing will receive assistance from BNPB in the form of equipment and food for 10 days from the moment they enter the temporary shelter,” said BNPB Head Lieutenant General Suharyanto on Thursday, 12 March 2026. On the same day, the former commander of Brawijaya Military Regional Command attended an activity transferring refugees from tents to temporary housing in Gayo Lues District, followed by breaking fast together with residents and local leadership.
As of 13 March 2026, remaining refugees are concentrated in Aceh Province with 812 households. North Sumatra and West Sumatra have reported zero tent refugees, indicating all have been relocated to temporary housing.
The number of households in tents has decreased by 1,060 families compared to four days earlier on 9 March 2026, when the task force recorded 1,872 households still awaiting relocation. This data indicates the task force is relocating approximately 256 households per day.
If this trend continues, the target of clearing tents before Eid al-Fitr, just one week away, appears achievable. The goal of zero tent refugees by Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr) was agreed upon at a task force coordination meeting on 5 March 2026. Following this meeting, the task force leader Tito Karnavian repeatedly called for accelerated relocation efforts. “We also target that there will be no one in tents before Lebaran. People should not stay in tents too long because it is not good for mental health and physical health,” he said on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
Aceh Tamiang District has the highest concentration of remaining tent refugees with 529 households. The relocation process continues, with 1,633 out of 2,325 available temporary housing units already occupied by affected residents.
A similar situation persists in North Aceh, where 273 households of refugees remain in tents. The government has prepared 3,469 temporary housing units in this area, with 2,110 units already occupied by residents.
Overall, 12 districts in Aceh Province are affected. Apart from Aceh Tamiang and North Aceh, the other ten districts have no remaining tent refugees, meaning residents will celebrate Eid al-Fitr in more dignified conditions.
In total, the government has prepared 13,658 temporary housing units in the province, with 10,812 units already occupied by affected residents. The remaining 812 households will continue to be prioritised for relocation to temporary housing.
North Sumatra brings good news, as no more residents remain in refugee tents before Eid al-Fitr. Of the 969 temporary housing units prepared by the government, 961 have already been occupied by affected communities.
In North Tapanuli District, 39 out of 40 temporary housing units have been occupied. A similar situation is evident in Central Tapanuli, where 157 out of 164 units are occupied. In South Tapanuli, all 765 temporary housing units prepared by the government have been occupied by residents.
West Sumatra has had no refugees since February, with all 830 temporary housing units occupied. These are distributed across six districts/cities: Agam District, Lima Puluh Kota District, Padang Pariaman District, Tanah Datar District, South Coast District, and Padang City.
The task force is optimistic that relocation efforts will be achieved on schedule and will benefit affected residents. The government continues to accelerate efforts so that communities can celebrate Eid al-Fitr safely and comfortably.
This step represents the task force’s commitment to accelerating recovery by ensuring all indicators are met. Beyond temporary housing, the task force also ensures government administration, basic public services, road connectivity, economic activity, and the fulfilment of basic community needs return to normal. This acceleration effort is pursued through intensive coordination with ministries and agencies as well as local governments.