North Sumatra Achieves Zero Displaced Persons in Tents Before Eid

Jakarta — The Acceleration Task Force for Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) of Sumatra has successfully relocated all victims of hydrometeorological disasters in North Sumatra (Sumut). Flood and landslide survivors in Sumut have completely vacated emergency tents and transitioned to temporary housing (huntara) or permanent housing (huntap) constructed by government and non-governmental institutions.

According to the daily PRR Task Force report as of 14 March, there has been a significant reduction in the number of displaced persons compared to the previous day. The total number of Sumatra disaster victims in tents originally stood at 1,314 households (KK), but this has decreased to 812 households — a reduction of 502 households.

Currently, all remaining tent-dwelling evacuees are located in Aceh, the disaster-affected region. However, evacuees in Sumut have been entirely relocated to more appropriate housing. This outcome matches the relocation achievement in West Sumatra (Sumbar), which had already successfully relocated all evacuees to proper accommodation.

The success in relocating all evacuees in Sumut and Sumbar is attributed to the accelerated construction of temporary housing across the three affected provinces. The number of completed temporary housing units continues to increase daily.

Of the total planned 19,295 temporary housing units across the three affected provinces, 15,595 units have been completed to date, representing approximately 80 per cent of the overall target. In West Sumatra, temporary housing construction has reached 100 per cent completion, in North Sumatra 95 per cent, and in Aceh approximately 77 per cent.

Alongside accelerating temporary housing construction, the PRR Task Force is progressively completing permanent housing projects. According to the Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force data as of 14 March, 110 permanent housing units have been completed from the planned 36,669 units, with a further 1,359 units currently under construction.

In addition to temporary housing provision, the government’s strategy for reducing the displaced population is complemented by housing waiting assistance funds (DTH) for disaster survivors who choose not to reside in temporary housing. To date, all recipients’ accounts have received fund transfers, with a 100 per cent disbursement rate achieved for 13,728 beneficiaries across the three provinces.