Task Force Oversees North Sumatra Recovery Plan, with Residents’ Needs a Priority

The Post-Disaster Acceleration of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force for Sumatra (Satgas PRR) is assisting with updates to the post-disaster recovery Master Plan (Renduk) for North Sumatra.

The assistance is helping regional governments and ministries and agencies align proposed programmes with residents’ needs, from permanent housing and basic services to restoring transport access and economic activity.

The Satgas PRR team at the forum was led by its North Sumatra regional coordinator, Brigadier General Fadjar Tjahjono. Officials from the leadership of disaster-affected regencies and municipalities also took part in the discussions.

The North Sumatra Regional Development, Research and Innovation Planning Agency (Bapperida) said the disaster in late November 2025 caused an estimated Rp20.84 trillion in damage and losses.

Rehabilitation and reconstruction needs are estimated at Rp30.56 trillion, while indicative funding requirements for 2026-2028 stand at Rp23.33 trillion.

The Renduk update provides an opportunity to sharpen recovery priorities without reducing support from ministries and agencies.

“Regional governments and ministries and agencies must ensure the damage and needs data are consistent so that data anomalies do not arise,” Fadjar said in a written statement on Sunday (8 November 2026).

To ensure the data reflect needs on the ground, regional governments, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and ministries and agencies are reviewing the location, scale of work, schedule and funding source for each proposal under discussion.

Decisions to accept or reject proposals are recorded in the Satu Data Bencana (SADANA) disaster data application, while the outcome of discussions is set out in agreed minutes after each region has completed all sessions.

Following verification and validation, Bappenas recorded 368 infrastructure and housing projects worth Rp14.43 trillion, as well as 1,968 economic, social and cross-sector projects worth Rp8.75 trillion. The figures will be updated in coordination with regional authorities.

For permanent housing, Satgas PRR recommended that regional governments clarify the land status of relocation sites and align construction plans with the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas and development partners.

The coordination is needed to prevent overlapping work and avoid land issues prolonging residents’ wait for permanent homes.

The forum also highlighted the need to accelerate river normalisation to reduce flood risks in vulnerable areas, rehabilitate severely damaged rice fields that have yet to be addressed, and prepare capital assistance for affected micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

These measures are intended to help residents return to work and resume their businesses, alongside repairing damaged infrastructure.

The Renduk update is targeted for completion by the end of November 2026. After the forum, Bappenas scheduled adjustments to the project list for 9-13 November and final confirmation with sectoral partners for 16-20 November.

The results will be compiled on 23-27 November before being reported to the head of Satgas PRR on 4 December 2026, as part of the process towards adopting the updated Renduk.