Task Force Accelerates Mud Cleanup in Disaster-Affected Areas of Sumatra, 658 Locations Now Mud-Free
The Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR) post-Sumatra disaster continues to expedite mud cleanup in areas affected by hydrometeorological disasters in Aceh Province, North Sumatra (Sumut), and West Sumatra (Sumbar).
Based on Satgas PRR data as of 27 April 2026, 658 impacted locations buried in mud have been successfully cleared.
The breakdown shows that in Aceh, 607 out of 634 target locations have been cleaned. In Sumut, 22 out of 23 locations have been completed, while in Sumbar, all 29 target locations have been fully cleaned.
This achievement demonstrates significant progress compared to the data as of 6 April 2026, which recorded 527 locations freed from mud.
The Head of the Task Force (Kasatgas) for PRR post-Sumatra disaster, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, emphasised that mud cleanup remains a priority in post-disaster recovery in Sumatra.
The cleanup process is conducted in two stages. The first stage focused on opening access to national roads, which has been 100 percent completed and functionally passable since 25 January 2026.
The second stage targets mud cleanup in vital facilities, such as schools, office areas, and public facilities, including community health centres (puskesmas), mosques, and others.
He stated that Satgas PRR has successfully restored various government facilities and public services that were previously paralysed due to mud burial, particularly in heavily impacted areas like Aceh Tamiang.
“The issues in (Aceh) Tamiang are very severe. Schools are still in tents, and there are dozens of village offices that are destroyed. There are many mud problems that have not yet been resolved,” Tito said in a press release received by Kompas.com on Monday (27/4/2026).
The statement was delivered by Tito at the Working Meeting of APEKSI Regional Commissariat I in Banda Aceh City, Aceh, on Monday (20/4/2026).
Previously, 1,200 personnel were deployed in the first wave, followed by 800 personnel in the second wave.
Currently, 800 personnel are again deployed to continue mud cleanup for the next month.
In addition, Tito said, Satgas PRR has also deployed heavy equipment rented through the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) to accelerate the cleanup process in the field.