Temporary Shelter Construction for Isolated Hamlets in East Aceh Hampered by Poor Access
East Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) — Construction of temporary shelters (huntara) for flash flood victims living in isolated hamlets in East Aceh district, Aceh province, has been hampered by difficult road access.
Jahidin, the head of Ranto Panyang Rubek hamlet, speaking from the hamlet in Sijudo village, Pante Bidari, East Aceh on Saturday, said his community had already registered to receive government temporary shelter assistance.
However, construction has been obstructed by poor road conditions, leaving disaster survivors still housed in evacuation centres.
“We are still living in evacuation shelters. We have registered for temporary housing, but because of the state of our roads and weather conditions, sometimes the equipment cannot get through,” he said.
Jahidin explained that Ranto Panyang Rubek was one of the worst-affected hamlets from the flash floods that struck East Aceh in late November 2025.
The hamlet is among those that were effectively wiped out and remains in an isolated location. To reach Ranto Panyang Rubek from the main road, one must navigate through oil palm plantations along roads still blanketed in mud, a journey of approximately two hours. The mud-covered route is far from flat, consisting of steep inclines and winding descents.
The wet road conditions, particularly after rainfall, make vehicles prone to skidding. Consequently, reaching Ranto Panyang Rubek requires vehicles with specific off-road capabilities.
“Some of our residents have been using leftover timber to build their own temporary shelters whilst waiting for the government ones,” Jahidin said.
Previously, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian reported that 29 villages had been wiped out by landslides or flooding. Of these, 21 villages were in Aceh, spread across Aceh Tamiang, Nagan Raya, Central Aceh and Gayo Lues.
The disappearance of these villages poses a serious problem involving the relocation of residents and the reorganisation of village administrative structures — whether to rebuild in new locations or remove them from the territorial administrative system entirely.
Overall, the disasters across the three affected provinces caused 1,205 deaths, with 139 people still listed as missing. The affected area spans 52 districts and municipalities, 491 sub-districts and 4,511 villages.