PRR Task Force: Refugees in Sumatra Disaster Area Fall by 47% During Ramadan

Refugee numbers in three Sumatra provinces have shown a significant downward trend since the start of Ramadan. The latest daily briefing from the Sumatra Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force (PRR) Pascabencana Sumatera shows the figure fell by almost half in under two weeks. Based on the daily report from the PRR in Sumatra, at the start of Ramadan on 20 February 2026 the number of refugees reached 12,994 people. Breakdown: 12,144 in Aceh and 850 in North Sumatra, while West Sumatra reportedly had no tent-based refugees. As field handling accelerates, the number of refugees continues to decline. The latest data as of Thursday morning (5 March) shows 6,873 refugees remaining, comprising 6,187 in Aceh and 686 in North Sumatra. Therefore, in less than two weeks, the refugee total has fallen by 6,121 people or 47.1% from the Ramadan level. The decline in tent-based refugees coincides with accelerated construction of temporary housing units (huntara) in the three affected provinces. According to BNPB and the Ministry of Public Works, of the total planned 18,309 huntara units across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, 12,279 had been completed by 4 March 2026, or 67%. In addition to huntara, progress on permanent housing (huntap) continues. Of the total planned 36,669 units across the three provinces, 1,363 are currently in construction and six have been completed. Separately, disbursement of Housing Waiting Funds (DTH) has been fully realised. Of 10,783 beneficiaries in the three provinces, all have received the transfer to their respective bank accounts. The Ministry of Social Affairs is also processing the distribution of living allowance support (jadup) for 175,211 individuals or 47,686 households in 37 districts/municipalities across the three affected provinces, with a total budget of Rp236.53 billion. Earlier, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Chairman of the Sumatra Post-Disaster PRR Task Force, stressed that accelerating refugee relocation is a priority in the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. The target was announced at a ministerial-level coordination meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) in Jakarta on Friday, 27 February. “We hope to complete it as soon as possible before Eid al-Fitr. If possible, before Eid al-Fitr none of them should be in tents, but in huntara or receiving the Housing Waiting Funds,” Tito said.