Access to Tapanuli has been completely cut off for three days, with 43 people reported dead.

TARUTUNG, KOMPAS – For three days, the South Tapanuli Regency, Central Tapanuli, and the city of Sibolga in North Sumatra have been isolated following a flash flood and landslide disaster. A total of 43 people have been reported dead and 88 others are missing.

The impact of the disaster is estimated to be much greater than reported, considering that many areas remain isolated, lacking cellular signals, and experiencing power outages.

According to Kompas' monitoring, the main route to the west coast of North Sumatra remained completely paralyzed on Thursday (November 27, 2025). Kompas attempted to enter the Tapanuli disaster area via the main route, namely the Tarutung-Sibolga road. However, the route was impassable and completely paralyzed.

At least six heavy excavators were seen working to open the main route to the western coast of North Sumatra. More than 20 landslide points have been successfully cleared along approximately 10 kilometers of road in the Adian Koting District, North Tapanuli. However, it is estimated that there are still around 50 landslide locations along the 20-kilometer route at the border of North Tapanuli and Central Tapanuli.

Heavy machinery slowly moved to clear the landslide debris one by one. At several points, the landslide debris consisting of mud and tree trunks piled up to a height of two meters.

In that area, several villages have also suffered severe damage. Some houses were swept away by landslide debris. "Flash floods and landslides have occurred several times since Monday (24/11) night. The rain has been falling almost all day," said Manat Hutagalung (50), a resident of Dolok Nauli Village, Adian Koting District, North Tapanuli Regency.

At several points, the road has also subsided and needs to be filled. As of Wednesday afternoon, heavy machinery continues to work to clear the route.

Hundreds of logistics vehicles are also stranded on that route. The drivers have parked their trucks, waiting for the route to reopen. They have been waiting for three days since the route was cut off.

The Head of Dolok Nauli Village, Jonas Aritonang, stated that flash floods and subsequent landslides continue to occur in the area. Jonas mentioned that two neighboring villages remain isolated, namely Pagaran Pisang Village and Sibalanga Village.

"We received information that seven residents died in Pagaran Pisang Village. In Sibalanga, 17 people are reported missing. The two villages were hit by flash floods and landslides on Wednesday early morning," said Jonas.

Access roads to the two villages are still isolated. Some villagers even have to walk for three hours to seek assistance. They walk on foot to navigate through the landslide debris. According to Jonas, residents affected by the disaster in the two villages have not yet received emergency disaster response aid.

The Head of Public Relations of the North Sumatra Police, Commissioner Ferry Walintukan, stated that 12 districts and cities in North Sumatra have experienced flash floods and landslides due to heavy rain that has occurred since Sunday (23/11).

As of Thursday, 43 people were reported dead and 88 missing due to the natural disaster in North Sumatra. "A total of 1,168 people have also been displaced in various areas," Ferry said.

We received information that seven residents died in Pagaran Pisang Village. In Sibalanga, 17 people were reported missing. The two villages were struck by flash floods and landslides on Wednesday early morning.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the North Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency, Herianto, stated that disaster response efforts are facing difficulties due to the disruption of communication and road access. Communication to the area has been paralyzed for three days.

As a result, data collection on the impacts of disasters is still difficult to carry out. The data on disaster victims also varies. In addition, there are still many areas that remain inaccessible. Herianto stated that the most severe impacts of the disaster occurred in Central Tapanuli, South Tapanuli, and the city of Sibolga.