Flood Victims' Relocation in Sumatra Accelerated to Ensure Eid al-Fitr Not Spent in Evacuation Camps

JAKARTA — The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force (Satgas PRR) for Post-Disaster Sumatra aims to relocate all evacuees still living in emergency tents in Aceh, North Sumatra (Sumut), and West Sumatra (Sumbar) provinces to more adequate housing before Eid al-Fitr 2026.

Muhammad Tito Karnavian, head of the Satgas PRR for Post-Disaster Sumatra, stated that accelerating evacuee relocation has become one of the focus areas in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.

“We hope to complete this as quickly as possible before Eid al-Fitr. Ideally, before Eid al-Fitr, everyone should not be in tents but in temporary housing or receiving housing waiting-period assistance,” Tito said in his statement on Saturday, 28 February 2026.

From over two million residents affected in the initial phase, as of 27 February 2026, only 11,307 people remained in evacuation tents.

The majority are in Aceh Province with 10,394 people, whilst North Sumatra has 913 remaining evacuees. In West Sumatra, all evacuees have left the emergency tents.

Tito also explained that to support the acceleration, the Satgas PRR continues to promote the construction of temporary housing (huntara), permanent housing (huntap), and the distribution of housing waiting-period financial assistance.

“Based on Satgas PRR data as of 27 February 2026, the target for huntara construction across the three provinces reaches 18,253 units, with 10,498 units completed or 57 per cent,” he said.

Meanwhile, permanent housing construction recorded 1,363 units under construction out of a target of 36,669 units. Additionally, six permanent housing sites in West Sumatra have completed construction.

Tito explained that the distribution of home repair assistance for damaged houses continues in stages. From over 73,000 houses identified with light, moderate, and severe damage, verification and disbursement processes are being accelerated so residents can carry out repairs independently.