Lubuk Sidup Residents Occupy Temporary Housing and Begin Rebuilding Lives Post-Disaster

Residents of Lubuk Sidup Village, Sekerak Subdistrict, Aceh Tamiang Regency, are now gradually leaving evacuation tents after the government provided temporary housing (huntara) following the floods that hit the area at the end of November 2025.

After nearly five months living in tents with severe limitations, some residents are beginning to reorganise their daily lives in far more decent accommodation.

One resident who has occupied a huntara unit for a week, Muhammad Fa’i, feels a significant change compared to his time in the evacuation tent. He states that the conditions are much better than before.

“It is far more comfortable here, the area is larger, and the view is also beautiful,” he said in a written statement on Friday (1/5).

Nevertheless, the initial occupancy period was not without challenges. Fa’i revealed that there was initially a roof leak, but the government responded quickly and repaired it, allowing the unit to be reoccupied properly.

The government-built huntara is intended for 163 family heads. By the end of April, around half of that number had already occupied their respective units, while the rest are still in the process of completion along with supporting facilities.

Fa’i also raised one issue that needs attention: the daytime temperature feels quite scorching because there is no additional shelter in the huntara area yet.

He hopes the government can add shading facilities so that residents and children can carry out activities more comfortably.

Anwar, another resident, expressed similar sentiments, saying he is relieved to leave the tent after nearly five months of enduring it.

“Thank you to the government for providing this huntara,” he said.

According to him, conditions in the huntara are far better than in the tent, especially in terms of comfort and space for family activities. The presence of the huntara gives them the opportunity to return to a more normal routine.

For information, progress on huntara construction in disaster-affected areas of Sumatra continues to show advancement. Data from the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR) Post-Sumatra Disaster as of 29 April records that 18,505 huntara units have been completed in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, reaching 91 percent of the target of 20,267 units.

In Lubuk Sidup, although several facilities are still being perfected, the presence of the huntara serves as a clear sign that recovery has begun. For residents who lost everything due to the flood, having a proper roof is the first step towards recovery.