Sumatra Post-Disaster Task Force Races to Complete Recovery by 2026
Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian has urged ministries and agencies to accelerate post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.
The government aims to complete all recovery work that can be carried out in 2026 by 31 December this year.
Tito, who also chairs the Sumatra Post-Disaster Acceleration Task Force for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR), made the remarks after attending a ministerial-level coordination meeting on progress in speeding up recovery in the three provinces.
The meeting was held at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture in Jakarta on Tuesday (27 October), chaired by Coordinating Minister Sugiono.
Tito said disaster response had moved beyond the emergency phase, which focused on evacuations, assistance for victims and saving lives. This was followed by an emergency transition period before the rehabilitation and reconstruction process began.
During the emergency response, President Prabowo Subianto mobilised various national agencies, including the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police (Polri), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and local governments.
“During the emergency response, the President also provided an initial allocation of Rp268 billion in additional unexpected expenditure,” Tito said.
“Then, during the transition period, the President established a task force. The coordinating minister for human development and culture chairs its steering team, whose members include all coordinating ministers, as well as the National Police chief, the military commander and the finance minister,” he said.
As recovery has progressed, most government activities in disaster-hit areas have begun operating again. Aceh Tamiang regency, which had previously suffered severe disruption, is also gradually recovering.
Essential services, including electricity, fuel, LPG and internet access, have largely returned to normal. General hospitals and community health centres are also operating. However, six auxiliary community health centres in North Sumatra were damaged or destroyed and still require further attention.
Recovery is also under way in education. Of the 4,922 education units affected by the disaster, 99 schools are still holding lessons in emergency classrooms.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is focusing on those schools and coordinating with the Ministry of Public Works and the Army.
Tito also praised the Army and police for rebuilding bridges damaged by the disaster. He said the infrastructure was important for restoring connectivity and supporting residents’ activities in affected areas.
“We are also very grateful to our colleagues in the Army, whose bridge task force has built hundreds of bridges. The police have also built more than 100 — around 120, if I am not mistaken,” he said.
The government continues to face challenges during the recovery, including heavy rain that has triggered further floods and landslides in several areas. This has added to the work required to restore transport access and residents’ daily activities.
Tito therefore urged ministries and agencies that had received budget allocations to speed up their rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes.
Repairs to schools, homes, roads, bridges and facilities supporting local economic activity are among the work that needs to be accelerated so affected residents can benefit as soon as possible.
Tito stressed the importance of coordination across ministries and agencies, and urged local governments to make the most of available funding, including additional allocations to speed up recovery.
“We hope this coordination will accelerate the whole process, ensure all ministries and agencies are moving, and help local governments act more quickly using their own budgets and the additional funding,” he said.
The coordination meeting was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, Minister of Housing and Settlements Maruarar Sirait, National Disaster Mitigation Agency head Kristomei Sianturi and other officials.