Indonesia Speeds Recovery From Sumatra Disasters as Floods Persist
Indonesia is accelerating recovery efforts across 53 districts and cities in three Sumatra provinces while planning for further rain and reconstruction funding in 2027.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia is pressing to restore infrastructure and essential services across three Sumatra provinces after a year of disasters, as officials report dozens of follow-on floods and prepare for further heavy rain. The recovery effort covers 53 districts and cities in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, regions exposed to recurring weather-related hazards.
Interior Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian said local governments should speed up rehabilitation and reconstruction and make effective use of their budgets. He spoke after a restricted meeting on disaster preparedness led by President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026.
Recovery spans essential services and livelihoods
Tito, who heads the task force overseeing post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction in Sumatra, said work across the three provinces includes transport links, schools, health facilities, places of worship, markets and small businesses. Restoring these services and facilities is intended to help residents regain access to basic needs and resume economic activity.
The meeting also addressed hydrometeorological hazards — disasters linked to weather and water conditions, including floods — and the risk that new events could disrupt recovery. Officials discussed near-term preparations for more rain alongside longer-term reconstruction plans.
Officials count 41 follow-on floods
Tito said 41 subsequent floods were recorded across the three provinces from April through October: 18 in Aceh, 15 in West Sumatra and at least eight in North Sumatra.
Weather conditions vary across the affected region, he said. Eastern Sumatra is experiencing dry conditions, while the west, particularly the north, continues to receive rain. The government is considering short-term measures for potential further rainfall as recovery work continues.
Planning for 2027, including funding for continued rehabilitation and reconstruction, was also on the agenda. Tito said Prabowo requested an update on recovery progress one year after the disasters, preparations for possible renewed rain and the next phase of reconstruction.
“The core point is that he [President Prabowo] wanted a report on progress one year after the Sumatra disaster, as well as short-term steps to address the potential for further hydrometeorological events in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, where they have already occurred in several places,” Tito said. “This also includes the 2027 rehabilitation and reconstruction program and its budget.”
