Mahdi Who Longs for His Father's House
North Aceh — "Over there, by that tree trunk, that's where my house used to be."
Mahdi (40) turned his body to point to the spot where his home once stood. Now it is completely bare, with not even debris to be detected. All that remains are piles of wood from fallen trees and rocks carried by floodwaters.
Then his finger shifted, pointing to a spot no more than a stone's throw from the land where his house had once stood.
"There! That's my father's house. Over there—" his finger swung towards yet another spot — "that's a relative's house too."
Although his pointing finger could only direct one's gaze towards more piles of wood and rocks, the look in Mahdi's eyes suggested the memory of the wooden houses that once stood on that site remained vivid in his mind.
The spirit behind his exclamation "that's my father's house" compelled anyone within earshot to look in the direction he pointed — even though they knew there was no house to be seen.
Mahdi's gaze yearned for the warm memories stored in every corner of those dwellings, now swept away by flash floods in November 2025.
Adi, as he is known to friends, is one of 326 residents of Lhok Pungki hamlet who lost their homes. The hamlet is located in Gunci Village, Sawang Sub-district, North Aceh Regency.
According to data from the North Aceh Regency Government, the total number of people affected by the flood disaster in the area reached 433,064 individuals or 124,549 households. Some 33,261 people or 9,242 households remained displaced, whilst 2,127 people sustained injuries.
In terms of housing damage, 9,707 units were classified as severely damaged, 26,298 units as moderately damaged, and 62,890 units sustained minor damage.
Lhok Pungki has become known as "the lost hamlet", as flash floods and landslides obliterated nearly every house standing on its land.
Only a handful of houses remain along the riverbank — few enough to count on one's fingers. These houses are no longer inhabited, as all residents of Lhok Pungki hamlet, numbering approximately 85 households, have been evacuated to Paya Reubek hamlet, also located in Gunci Village.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has advised the residents of Lhok Pungki hamlet not to return to the area, as it has been classified as a disaster-prone zone.
Nevertheless, Adi occasionally makes the journey to the place he once called "home", each visit weighed down by heavy steps.
Mahdi (40) turned his body to point to the spot where his home once stood. Now it is completely bare, with not even debris to be detected. All that remains are piles of wood from fallen trees and rocks carried by floodwaters.
Then his finger shifted, pointing to a spot no more than a stone's throw from the land where his house had once stood.
"There! That's my father's house. Over there—" his finger swung towards yet another spot — "that's a relative's house too."
Although his pointing finger could only direct one's gaze towards more piles of wood and rocks, the look in Mahdi's eyes suggested the memory of the wooden houses that once stood on that site remained vivid in his mind.
The spirit behind his exclamation "that's my father's house" compelled anyone within earshot to look in the direction he pointed — even though they knew there was no house to be seen.
Mahdi's gaze yearned for the warm memories stored in every corner of those dwellings, now swept away by flash floods in November 2025.
Adi, as he is known to friends, is one of 326 residents of Lhok Pungki hamlet who lost their homes. The hamlet is located in Gunci Village, Sawang Sub-district, North Aceh Regency.
According to data from the North Aceh Regency Government, the total number of people affected by the flood disaster in the area reached 433,064 individuals or 124,549 households. Some 33,261 people or 9,242 households remained displaced, whilst 2,127 people sustained injuries.
In terms of housing damage, 9,707 units were classified as severely damaged, 26,298 units as moderately damaged, and 62,890 units sustained minor damage.
Lhok Pungki has become known as "the lost hamlet", as flash floods and landslides obliterated nearly every house standing on its land.
Only a handful of houses remain along the riverbank — few enough to count on one's fingers. These houses are no longer inhabited, as all residents of Lhok Pungki hamlet, numbering approximately 85 households, have been evacuated to Paya Reubek hamlet, also located in Gunci Village.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has advised the residents of Lhok Pungki hamlet not to return to the area, as it has been classified as a disaster-prone zone.
Nevertheless, Adi occasionally makes the journey to the place he once called "home", each visit weighed down by heavy steps.