Within a Week, PRR Taskforce Collects and Utilises 2,419 Cubic Metres of Drift Wood for Temporary Shelters
Timber materials swept away by major flooding in Sumatra are being repurposed to accelerate recovery of affected regions. The drift wood is being utilised for various needs, including the construction of temporary shelters, repair of residents’ homes, and restoration of social and public facilities.
The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Taskforce (Satgas PRR) recorded that by 16 March 2026, the volume of collected drift wood reached approximately 5,103 cubic metres. Compared with data from 9 March 2026, this represents an increase of approximately 2,419 cubic metres. The previous week, the volume of collected drift wood had only reached approximately 2,684 cubic metres.
Of the more than five thousand cubic metres in the latest report, the largest volume of drift wood was found in North Aceh Regency, Aceh Province, totalling 2,112 cubic metres. This material is planned to support the construction of temporary shelters for residents whose homes were damaged by flooding.
In Aceh Tamiang Regency, the volume of collected timber reached approximately 572 cubic metres and is awaiting policy decisions from the regional government regarding its utilisation. Meanwhile, in North Sumatra Province, drift wood collected in South Tapanuli Regency reached approximately 329 cubic metres and is planned for use in constructing temporary shelters and social and public facilities.
In Central Tapanuli Regency, the volume of collected timber reached approximately 93 cubic metres and will be utilised to support recovery of homes affected by flooding. In West Sumatra Province, drift wood recorded in Padang City reached approximately 1,996 cubic metres and has been handed over to the regional government for further utilisation.
The collected timber is not only removed from disaster sites but also utilised as material to support the rehabilitation process. Some timber is used as material for constructing temporary shelters for affected residents, whilst other portions are utilised for home repairs and the construction of social and public facilities.
The collection of drift wood takes place concurrently with the cleaning of flood-affected areas. By mid-March 2026, the Satgas PRR recorded that mud clearance had been completed at 443 of 529 locations in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, approximately 83 per cent of the total target.
The Satgas PRR’s effort to collect and utilise drift wood aligns with the government’s push to optimise materials brought by the disaster. This tactical approach has been strengthened by the Ministerial Decree of the Forestry Minister Number 191 of 2026. The regulation provides full legal authority for the Satgas PRR and regional governments to process flood-affected timber productively.
With this legal certainty, timber material previously considered waste or legally risky can now be quickly redirected to meet urgent residents’ needs, particularly in the construction of temporary shelters and other social infrastructure.
The Chairman of the Satgas PRR, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, previously emphasised that drift wood has significant potential to support recovery in affected areas. “In Aceh, there is an enormous amount. It is like a sea. A sea of what is it called? Timber. The potential for utilisation is great,” said Tito, quoted from a statement dated 26 February 2026.