The President is Being Urged to Declare a National Disaster in  Sumatera

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government continues to intensify the distribution of aid for the victims of flooding and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatera, and West Sumatera. The distribution of aid is carried out using various modes of transportation. The government is also conducting weather modification to facilitate the delivery of assistance.

However, the delivery of aid is considered insufficient, and the President is urged to promptly declare a national disaster status for the three affected provinces. This is to ensure the allocation of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget for disaster management. As of Sunday (30/11/2025) morning, according to data from BNPB, the disaster in the three provinces has resulted in 303 fatalities and 279 missing persons.

Amid the ongoing search and rescue operations for flood and landslide victims in Aceh, North Sumatera, and West Sumatera, the distribution of logistical aid from the central government continues to be intensified. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, in a written statement on Sunday afternoon, stated that the government has dispatched 28 helicopters to the disaster locations in the three provinces.

Several helicopters belonging to the Air Force, Army, Navy, Police, National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) were deployed to distribute aid and evacuate victims.

"Weather modification has also been carried out in the last three days and has successfully reduced rainfall across the affected provinces, allowing for the rapid evacuation and delivery of logistical assistance from the air," Teddy stated.

Teddy continued, the government also ensures that all disaster response efforts are proceeding effectively and swiftly. This includes the rescue of victims, the delivery of aid logistics, and the restoration of access.

In addition to the government, the delivery of aid was also carried out by the People's Representative Council (DPR). On Sunday afternoon, the Deputy Chairman of the DPR from the Gerindra Party faction, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, the Deputy Chairman of the DPR from the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction, Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal, the Deputy Chairman of the DPR from the Nasdem Party faction, Saan Mustopa, along with several commission leaders of the DPR, handed over aid to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta.

Dasco explained that the delivery of aid, which includes clothing and food supplies, will be sent over three consecutive days until Tuesday (2/12/2025). "Today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, it will be dispatched to Tapanuli Tengah, Padang, and Aceh," he said.

Referring to data from BNPB, as of Sunday morning, the number of fatalities due to the disaster has reached 303, with 279 individuals reported missing and 18 injured.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Center of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, stated that at the disaster site, BNPB is distributing logistical assistance and equipment, including via sea routes, to Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, East Aceh, Langsa City, and Aceh Tamiang. A number of aid shipments were dispatched using ships from the Ulee Lhueu Port in Banda Aceh, stopping at two ports.

First, the ship stopped at Krengkuku Port to reach North Aceh and Lhokseumawe. The aid ship also stopped at Kuala Langsa Port to reach the city of Langsa, East Aceh, and Aceh Tamiang.

In addition to the delivery of aid, search and rescue operations are still being conducted in the three provinces affected by the disaster. Referring to data from BNPB, as of Sunday morning, the number of fatalities due to the disaster has reached 303, with 279 people missing and 18 injured. The details are as follows: 47 people dead, 51 missing, and 8 injured in Aceh; 166 dead and 143 missing in North Sumatera; and 90 dead, 85 missing, and 10 injured in West Sumatera.

BNPB also recorded that tens of thousands of households (KK) or hundreds of thousands of people are displaced. So far, the number of refugees is quite large in Aceh, reaching 48,887 KK. The refugees in Aceh are spread across several districts/cities, with the highest numbers located in Aceh Utara, Bener Meriah, Aceh Tengah, and Aceh Singkil.

Despite the intensified delivery of aid, it is considered insufficient. President Prabowo Subianto is urged to promptly declare a national disaster status in Aceh, North Sumatera, and West Sumatera. One of the calls for this was made by the Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD), Sultan Bachtiar Najamuddin.

The Sultan stated that he has received input and requests from local governments and senators from the three provinces affected by the disaster for the central government to declare a national disaster status there. This is because the impacts of the floods and landslides require more intensive handling on a national scale. Moreover, almost all land access to the disaster sites has been cut off, making it difficult to distribute aid.

In addition, the Sultan stated that local governments are also facing difficulties both structurally and fiscally in addressing the disaster on a regional scale. Following the implementation of budget efficiency policies that resulted in cuts to transfer funds to regions from the central government, local governments do not have sufficient budgets to manage the disaster.

"I believe all indicators for the declaration of a National Disaster status are sufficient, both from the variables of the number of victims, material losses, damage to infrastructure and facilities, as well as the extensive coverage of the affected areas and the socio-economic impacts caused," said the Sultan.

Following the implementation of budget efficiency policies that resulted in cuts to transfer funds to regions from the central government, local governments do not have sufficient budgets to handle disasters.

He continued, the implementation of the national disaster status is the authority of the central government as regulated in Law Number 24 of 2007 concerning Disaster Management. The determination of this status is based on several indicators, including the number of victims, material losses, damage to infrastructure and facilities, the extent of the affected area, and the socio-economic impacts generated.

Researchers from the Constitutional Study Center (Pusako) at the Faculty of Law, Andalas University, Padang, Beni Kurnia Illahi stated that they also urge President Prabowo Subianto to declare a national disaster status in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. This status would enable the government to ensure the equitable and fair allocation of the State Budget (APBN) for disaster management.

According to Beni, the designation of a national disaster status can represent the presence of the state amidst various central government policies that marginalize regional governments in many respects. Some of these include the takeover of nearly all strategic sector licensing in the regions and the transfer of various tax authorities from the regions to the center. The government has also cut nearly Rp 700 trillion from the regional transfer budget (TKD) for 2025, which largely constitutes mandatory spending to support basic community services.

"The nearly 15 percent cut in the 2025 national disaster management budget, which is also mandatory spending, indicates that national policy priorities are not aligned with the increasing disaster risk in Indonesia," Beni said.