Natural Disasters in Sumatra: North Sumatera Becomes the Most Difficult Region to Access

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - North Sumatera has become the most challenging area to reach in order to deliver assistance to residents affected by the disaster. Many roads and transportation access are still blocked by landslide debris. As a result, aid must be delivered on foot, dropped from the air, and even rely on sea access.

This was stated by the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Lieutenant General Suharyanto, during a press conference at Silangit Airport, North Sumatera, on Sunday (30/11/2025) evening. Present at the occasion were the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, and the Chief of Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

Suharyanto stated that North Sumatera has become the most difficult area to access. As a result, assistance cannot be freely provided through land routes. Airborne aid, for instance, was delivered to residents trapped by landslides between the Tapanuli Tengah and Sibolga regions.

In addition to air, assistance via land routes is still being carried out in a limited manner, using motorcycles and on foot in North Tapanuli and South Tapanuli.

In addition, there are 50-100 soldiers and police officers walking, carrying assistance in 20-kilogram backpacks to penetrate the Tarutung-Sibolga route. Aid by sea is also being provided for the residents of Sibolga and North Tapanuli.

Despite this, Suharyanto claims the recovery process continues to show progress. Various residents' needs are beginning to be met as the quality of the evacuation centers improves.

In Sibolga, telecommunications signals are now available. Fuel is also available, although residents must queue to obtain it.

In Central Tapanuli, residents can also communicate using mobile phones. Rice assistance has also been provided to the communities of Sibolga and Central Tapanuli.

"Tomorrow we will meet with all cellular providers in Indonesia to restore communication lines in the affected areas," said Suharyanto.

Although not as complicated as in North Sumatera, transportation access in Aceh has also not yet recovered. Several areas in Aceh Tamiang, Lhokseumawe, Gayo Lues, Bener Meriah, and Southeast Aceh remain disconnected. Assistance for Bener Meriah, for instance, is still being delivered by air.

However, gradually, logistical assistance has begun to be felt in many regions. Assistance is provided not only through land and air routes but also by sea. For instance, aid was dispatched from the Ulee Lheue Port in Banda Aceh using the Express Bahari vessel.

For the North Aceh region and Lhokseumawe, assistance will arrive at Krengkuku Port. Meanwhile, assistance at Kuala Langsa Port is intended to reach the city of Langsa, East Aceh, and Aceh Tamiang. The total assistance amounts to 27 tons.

Meanwhile, in West Sumatera, Suharyanto stated that several roads are indeed still cut off, such as Padang Panjang and Sicincin. However, compared to Aceh and North Sumatra, the logistics delivery by land in eight regions in West Sumatra is relatively smoother.

"For West Sumatera, we are only providing two helicopters and one plane. Most of the logistics delivery is conducted overland. In North Sumatra, we have stationed six helicopters and one caravan plane at Silangit Airport and Pinangsori Airport. There are plans to reinforce this with two additional helicopters," he said.

Regarding the number of residents reported dead and missing has increased in those three regions. This is in line with the discovery of bodies and new reports.

In North Sumatera, 217 people have been reported dead and 209 missing. In Aceh, 96 deaths and 75 missing individuals have been recorded. Meanwhile, in West Sumatra, 129 bodies have been found and 118 people are still unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs stated that the emergency response process continues to involve various ministries and state institutions. Restoring transportation access and meeting the needs of the citizens, in accordance with President Prabowo's directives, must be the top priority.

However, when the emergency response was carried out, Pratikno stated that his team had also prepared a rehabilitation and reconstruction plan. It is hoped that after the emergency response is over, the process of restoring the residents' lives can be carried out promptly.