PRR Task Force reports significant drop in Sumatra refugees
According to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) as of February 25, the number of refugees in three provinces declined from 2,108,582 to 11,250. This includes 10,400 people in Aceh Province and 850 in North Sumatra Province.
“We no longer have refugees in tents in West Sumatra, they have all moved to temporary shelters,” the head of the task force, Tito Karnavian, stated during a meeting on Friday.
Karnavian explained that five villages across Aceh and North Sumatra must be restructured following the disaster, while West Sumatra reported no villages in need of redevelopment.
He added that out of 52 affected districts and cities, 38 have returned to normal conditions. Three others are close to full recovery, while 11 still require special handling.
According to Karnavian, several variables are used to determine whether a region has returned to normal. These include governance, public services, land access, economic and social factors, and other basic indicators such as gas stations, electricity, PDAM (the regional water company), internet access, LPG, landfills, waste banks, and river normalization.
“Previously, there was another issue: rice fields and plantations, which were also affected, as well as fish ponds and fisheries,” he added.
In the meeting, he urged ministries, agencies, and regional governments to collaborate in promoting post-disaster recovery.
He conveyed that the current progress of reconstruction and rehabilitation is positive, particularly regarding fully functional road access, public electricity supply, and operational gas stations.
“While the markets are all operational, the MSMEs are not yet fully functional. We still need to clear mud and repair bridges, village roads, and regional roads,” Karnavian said.
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Translator: Fianda Sjofjan, Resinta Sulistiyandari