Five Days After the Disaster, Residents Walked Six Hours in Search of Food

TARUTUNG, KOMPAS - The stock of essential goods for the community in areas affected by flash floods and landslides in several villages in the Tapanuli region, North Sumatra, is starting to run out. For five days, access to the area has been completely cut off due to landslide debris along dozens of kilometers. Residents are beginning to leave the isolated villages in search of food supplies.

Dozens of residents from several isolated villages on the border of North Tapanuli and South Tapanuli began to walk out from their villages on Saturday (29/11/2025). They walked 20-30 kilometers to the nearest villages in the Adiankoting District, North Tapanuli.

Ropince Hutapea (55), a resident of Pagaran Lambung II Village, for instance, recently admitted to only eating sweet potatoes mixed with salt. They cook using firewood because the supply of LPG gas in the village has also run out. He claims that no assistance has been provided to his village.

As a result, Ropince along with dozens of residents from several villages in the area decided to walk out of their village. They walked for about three hours until they reached the nearest village, Pagaran Pisang.

In that long journey, Ropince carried flip-flops while balancing a cardboard box filled with instant noodles and holding a jerrycan of kerosene. "This is all we can get because the supplies from other villages are also starting to run out. We want to buy rice, but there is no rice available for sale in that village either," said Ropince.

Ropince left his village on Saturday at around 09:00 WIB. He arrived in Pagaran Pisang Village at 12:00 WIB. They searched for basic necessities from one shop to another, but the supply was very limited. The neighboring villages were also affected by the disaster, but they have been accessible by vehicles for the past two days.

Ropince initially wanted to buy food supplies for her husband and five children. Since the flash flood and landslide struck their village on Tuesday (25/11/2025) night, they have been eating minimally, just cassava without any side dishes.

During the journey, Ropince and other residents walked past a road covered in mud and logs piled up to three meters high. Some residents were trapped in the deep mud.

They helped each other navigate the difficult road. In some places, mud piled up for hundreds of meters.

Lien Tampubolon (60), a resident of Pagaran Lambung II Village, has also run out of food. She has been forced to leave her village to search for food and other basic necessities.

"Our rice has completely run out. There is no more rice at the shop either. We cut the sweet potatoes into small pieces, mix them with salt, and then fry them to be enough for all family members," said Lien.

Every day they harvest the remaining cassava in the fields. However, the stock of cassava in the village is also running low. They also have no cooking oil left.

As a result, they left the village to search for rice and cooking oil. However, Lien still could not find rice in the nearest village after walking for more than three hours.

He could only buy 20 packets of instant noodles to stock up on food for his family. He also purchased kerosene. However, the purchase of kerosene was also limited. One family was only allowed one-third of a liter to share with other residents.

"But we are very grateful because no shop owners have raised their prices by even one rupiah despite the competition to buy basic necessities," said Lien.

Lien stated that they were forced to buy kerosene to have light in their homes. They made lamps from glass bottles and cloth wicks. Residents also cooked using firewood. The electricity in the village was completely out.

Since the landslide and flash flood disaster struck, the economy of the villages in the Tapanuli region has come to a complete standstill. Lien stated that the residents in that area are rubber farmers. Their rubber plants have been partially damaged by the flash floods and landslides.

The villages in North Tapanuli are just a small fraction of the many villages that have been isolated for five days since the flash floods and landslides struck North Tapanuli, Central Tapanuli, South Tapanuli, and the city of Sibolga. Access to the area has been completely cut off due to landslides blocking the Tarutung-Sibolga road.

Kompas monitoring, access to the Tarutung-Sibolga road is still cut off starting from kilometer 38. In the past five days, joint officers have deployed a number of heavy equipment and succeeded in opening around 30 landslide points starting from km 14 to km 38.

The landslide at km 38 is one of the most severe. The roadway, approximately 300 meters long, is buried under mud and logs up to four meters high. Officials have only been able to clear the material along 50 meters.

The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General (TNI) Suharyanto, stated that the government prioritizes three matters: the search and rescue operations for missing victims, the restoration of communication access, and the distribution of logistics to affected residents.

"The distribution of logistics will also be expedited to areas that are still isolated, such as in Tapanuli Tengah and Sibolga. MI-17 helicopters and two other helicopters are on standby to distribute logistical assistance, equipment, and food supplies to remote locations," said Suharyanto.

The acceleration of logistical aid distribution to Sibolga and Central Tapanuli will also be carried out via sea routes to Jago-Jago Port, Central Tapanuli, by deploying Navy ships. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) will also distribute satellite internet to districts/cities that are still experiencing communication disruptions.

The Head of the North Tapanuli Police, Deputy Commissioner Ernis Sitinjak, stated that joint officers are working to clear the road up to the city of Sibolga at km 62. It is estimated that there are still more than 50 landslide locations along the 24 km road. Cleaning can only be carried out from the North Tapanuli side.

Central Tapanuli and Sibolga are still paralyzed to this day. Electricity and communication services to the area have also been cut off. Two-way radios cannot be used because the batteries are depleted and cannot be recharged.

"The current priority for disaster management is opening road access to Central Tapanuli, South Tapanuli, and Sibolga," said Ernis.

Ernis stated that the joint officers are unable to supply essential goods to isolated areas because they are not yet accessible. The joint team has directly supplied essential goods to several villages that are now accessible.