Ministry of Public Works Accelerates Disaster Response in Sumatra to Remote Areas

The Ministry of Public Works (PU) continues to accelerate disaster response efforts across Sumatra Island, with the majority of connectivity infrastructure now functioning again to support community mobility and logistics distribution. According to data, 107 road sections and 43 bridges affected by the disaster have been restored to 100% functionality. On local road networks, out of a total of 2,421 affected road sections, 2,277 sections (94%) are now passable. Meanwhile, 792 bridges out of a total of 1,181 units (67%) have resumed operations. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo assured that national roads and bridges in the affected areas are generally free from significant issues. “National roads and bridges have no problems. There were landslides, but we cleared them in less than 24 hours,” said Dody in a written statement on Sunday (19/4/2026). Nevertheless, the government is paying special attention to several areas still severely impacted, particularly in Aceh Province, which faces challenges from high rainfall and mud deposits in downstream regions. “Progress in Aceh—the main issue is actually mud, and it’s still raining today. With conditions like this, work must be accelerated,” said Dody. As a precautionary measure against further disasters, the Ministry of Public Works is hastening sediment control efforts, including the construction of sabo dams to hold back wood materials and sediment from upstream areas. “I see on the national road towards Gayo Luwes there is still a lot of wood. I’m afraid it will flow down to Tamiang again,” said Dody. “So, the Ministry of Public Works is starting work on the sabo dams even though it’s not yet scheduled,” he added. In addition, the Ministry of Public Works is strengthening coordination with local governments (Pemda) and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in implementing weather modification, as well as accelerating the cleaning of residential areas through labour-intensive programmes, particularly in affected regions like Pidie Jaya and Aceh Tamiang. In the basic services sector, recovery also shows significant progress. Out of 176 affected drinking water supply systems (SPAM), 165 units (94%) have been restored to functionality. For raw water supply, deep borehole construction has reached 70 units (27%), while shallow boreholes have reached 34 units (86%). Meanwhile, to support agricultural sector recovery, the Ministry of Public Works continues to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) to accelerate the cleaning of rice fields from mud and ensure that primary and secondary irrigation networks are functioning again. The Ministry of Public Works also ensures intensive field monitoring up to remote areas to promptly meet emergency infrastructure needs, such as temporary bridges, without hindering logistics distribution. “I’ve instructed the PPK to frequently check remote areas. So, if there is a place that needs a bridge, we can handle it immediately in collaboration with the Indonesian Army (TNI AD) so that logistics are not disrupted,” emphasised Dody. The Ministry of Public Works reaffirms its efforts to accelerate comprehensive disaster response through the ‘build back better’ principle, ensuring that rebuilt infrastructure is more resilient and supports sustainable socio-economic recovery for communities.