Logistics Delivery in West Sumatra Still Relies on Air Transport

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The delivery of logistics to various regions in West Sumatra still has to be carried out using air routes, Monday (1/12/2025). The land routes to the area remain blocked by landslide debris and flash floods.

The Head of the Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Center of the National Disaster Management Agency, Abdul Muhari, stated that air routes remain the primary choice for delivering logistics.

For Solok, for instance, logistics weighing 360 kilograms were transported by a helicopter from the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). The assistance included packaged food, rice, mineral water, food ingredients, mattresses, and medicines.

In Maligi, West Pasaman Regency, 1.34 tons of aid was delivered by Indonesian Air Force helicopter. The aid consisted of food and non-food items, such as processed foods, children's food, ready-to-eat meals, mineral water, family kits, and blankets.

Access to Agam has not yet been fully achieved via land routes. Food and non-food assistance weighing 2.3 tons was delivered using an Air Force helicopter to Tiku and Sungai Puar, Agam.

As of Monday, Muhari stated that in Solok Regency, there are 958 families or 3,949 individuals displaced. The total population affected by the disaster amounts to 4,750 families.

In Pasaman Barat Regency, the number of refugees is 338 families or 1,491 individuals. The total number of residents affected by the disaster there is 14,808 families or 57,948 individuals.

Basarnas Chief Air Marshal Mochammad Syafii said that so far, the most victims of the Sumatra disaster were in West Sumatra.

Based on data collected by Basarnas on Monday (1/12/2025) until 12:00 PM WIB, the number of evacuees in West Sumatra reached 29,445 individuals. Meanwhile, the number of deceased victims amounted to 128 individuals, and 114 individuals are still missing.

In North Sumatra, the number of evacuees reached 3,029 individuals, with the death toll amounting to 217 individuals and 168 others still in the search process. Meanwhile, in Aceh, the number of evacuees has reached 1,146 individuals, with 102 confirmed dead and 116 others still missing.

Meanwhile, the President Director of PLN, Darmawan Prasodjo, stated that the company is deploying the best resources and personnel from units across Indonesia to restore the electricity network in the disaster-affected areas.

"We received instructions from President Prabowo Subianto that all PLN resources must be mobilized to assist in disaster recovery, both for the flash floods and landslides that occurred in Aceh. Therefore, we are all collaborating," said Darmawan.

In the recovery process, PLN collaborated with the Aceh Provincial Government, Iskandar Muda Military Command, Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Force Base, Aceh Regional Police, and Aceh Disaster Management Agency under the coordination of the central government.

One crucial step is the delivery of emergency tower units from Jakarta to Banda Aceh using Hercules aircraft belonging to the Air Force. In addition, several units are also transported via land and sea routes with the support of the Army and police.

"We also had to use helicopters to bring materials to the site. A helipad needed to be opened, and troops from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the police were there to assist. This unity was a major strength in accelerating the recovery process," said Darmawan.