Hundreds of residents continue to search for family members missing in the Sumatra disaster.

Many residents of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra continue to seek news about the whereabouts of family members who have gone missing and cannot be contacted following the disaster. They are utilizing messaging services in WhatsApp groups and reporting to the complaint services established by the government.

"Please assist, friends, for those who have seen my sibling who has lost contact since Wednesday (26/11/2025) until now. The last known position was in (Kelurahan) Sriwijaya, (Kecamatan) Kuala Simpang, near the pavilion and Telkom in Kuala Simpang. The house is close to a school, a two-story house next to a single-story white house. The house is near a road (not a main road), slightly set back into an alley."

Such is the content of the message in the image accompanied by a photo of two young men named Abdul Mulki and Riki, which was posted by Sholi D Alwi in the Aceh-Sumatera Missing Persons Information WA Group, Tuesday (2/12/2025) at 11:08 AM WIB.

The message is one of many from the residents of Aceh and North Sumatra who continue to search for their family members missing due to the disaster.

Since its creation on Sunday (30/11/2025), the group quickly filled with 1,025 members. Most members sent messages searching for their family members who had not been heard from since the disaster first occurred between Tuesday (25/11/2025) and Wednesday (26/11/2025). The messages continued to appear for nearly 24 hours until Tuesday (2/12/2025) afternoon.

Not only in one WhatsApp group, hundreds of residents continue to seek information regarding the whereabouts of their family members in many other WhatsApp groups. These groups were created by fellow seekers of missing family members, and then the groups were disseminated across various social media platforms. They established these groups to share information and collectively search for one another.

Panic was evident in every message they conveyed. The reason is that, on average, they have not received any news for a week from their family members who have not yet been found.

Most of the individuals being sought originate from the eastern coastal areas and the mountainous regions of Aceh, particularly in Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Tengah, and Gayo Lues. There are also individuals being sought from North Sumatra, which borders Aceh, such as Langkat.

Based on data from the Aceh Hydrometeorological Disaster Emergency Response Command Post as of Monday (1/12/2025) at 20:00 WIB, in addition to 173 fatalities, 204 individuals are still reported missing. The data on missing persons comes from reports in 10 districts/cities out of the 18 affected districts/cities.

The majority of missing persons come from North Aceh, totaling 90 individuals, followed by Bener Meriah with 50 individuals, and Central Aceh with 23 individuals.

However, that data has the potential to continue increasing because many affected areas have not been able to provide reports due to disruptions in telecommunications networks, including Aceh Tamiang, which has been severely impacted.

Meanwhile, according to data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of North Sumatra as of Monday night, in addition to 240 fatalities, the disaster has resulted in 182 missing persons. The data on missing individuals comes from reports in five districts/cities out of 17 affected districts/cities.

The majority of missing persons come from Tapanuli Tengah, totaling 104 individuals, and Tapanuli Selatan, with 46 individuals. Similar to Aceh, this data is likely to increase as efforts to open access to areas that remain isolated from transportation and communication continue.

Meanwhile, in West Sumatra, as of December 1, 2025, at 21:00 WIB, the number of fatalities in the disaster in West Sumatra reached 166 people, with 114 missing. The death toll from Agam is recorded at 118 people.

The spokesperson for the Aceh Hydrometeorological Disaster Emergency Response Command Post, Murthalamuddin, stated that they have opened a missing persons complaint service since Sunday (30/11/2025). From the data collected from the posts located in each district/city, there have been 34 reports of missing persons submitted by the community so far.

The details indicate that eight reports were received on Sunday and 26 reports were received on Monday. The majority of complaints came from residents seeking information about their family members in Aceh Tamiang and Aceh Tengah.

"The forms of reports we receive are varied, ranging from requests for family information searches, emergency evacuation requests, to food supply needs," he stated.

Murthalamuddin stated that most residents reported having family members missing due to the inability to contact or communicate with each other. Therefore, it is not certain that the individuals in question are truly missing. It is possible that these individuals simply have not yet gained access to communication.

"However, we still accept all reports as missing person reports," he said.

Regardless of this, the Aceh government does not deny that the number of missing persons is likely to continue to increase. The reason is that there are several affected areas that remain isolated from transportation access and communication networks. As a result, information from these regions has not been received optimally.

During the process of opening access, the missing persons complaint service will remain available every day, and each report will be followed up promptly and coordinated with the teams in the field. We will continue to update information in accordance with developments on the ground.

Currently, all parties from the local to the central government are continuing to strive to restore the disrupted transportation access and communication networks.

"During the process of opening access, the missing persons complaint service will remain open every day, and each report will be followed up promptly and coordinated with the teams in the field. We will continue to update information in accordance with developments on the ground," said Murthalamuddin.

Previously, the Head of the Aceh Hydrometeorological Disaster Emergency Response Post, M Nasir, stated that there are three main priorities in addressing the impacts of the disaster at present, namely the evacuation of isolated residents, the distribution of logistical assistance, and the recovery of connectivity. All related parties continue to work to complete these three priorities.

"The three main priorities are expected to be completed within 14 days from the declaration of the emergency response period (from November 28 to December 11, 2025). We all hope that all issues can be resolved so that we can focus on the next stage of rehabilitation," said Nasir.