National Disaster in Sumatra: Government Declares Priority Response for Floods and Landslides

December 4, 2025
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Sorenamoo
Posted in Nasional

The Indonesian government has prioritized response efforts for the floods and landslides that struck three provinces in Sumatra — Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra — at the end of November 2025. The calamity claimed 776 lives and left hundreds more displaced, yet it has not been officially declared a national disaster.

According to Ahmad Muzani, Speaker of Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), President Prabowo Subianto made a careful decision not to declare the floods as a national disaster. Muzani explained after meeting the President at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on December 2, 2025:

“The President has specific considerations. It is within his authority as head of state to make this decision through a presidential decree.”

Muzani emphasized that the government has already been able to manage the disaster situation effectively, coordinating with provincial, city, and district authorities.

Government Response and National Priority Status

Puan Maharani

Puan Maharani, Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), stated that the government is still reviewing inputs from affected regions before deciding on a national disaster declaration.

“The government and DPR are listening to feedback from local authorities in the affected areas to determine whether a national disaster status is necessary,” she said on December 4, 2025.

President Prabowo personally inspected the flood- and landslide-hit areas on December 1, 2025, directing rapid distribution of logistics, restoring access to isolated regions, and establishing emergency routes for vital infrastructure. Both air and sea fleets were mobilized to reach remote areas, ensuring essential aid delivery.

In Serdang Bedagai, North Sumatra, authorities reported a gradual recovery. Abdul Rahman Purba, Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Sergai, confirmed that water levels in nine out of eleven districts have receded, and normalcy is slowly returning.

Why Not a National Disaster?

The Cabinet Secretary, Teddy Indra Wijaya, explained that President Prabowo instructed the government to treat the situation as a national priority, rather than formally declaring it a national disaster. This approach ensures that resources, funding, and logistics are mobilized fully at the national level.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, clarified that all ministries and agencies, including the military, police, and BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency), are directed to respond with full capacity.

“All agencies have been instructed by the President to be extra responsive, focusing on rescue operations, distribution of aid, and recovery of essential facilities,” Pratikno said.

Understanding National Disaster Status in Indonesia

Under Law No. 24 of 2007 on Disaster Management, a national disaster is defined as an event with a scale and impact that exceeds the capacity of provincial governments to handle independently. Key considerations for declaring a national disaster include:

Number of casualties
Property damage
Infrastructure destruction
Geographic coverage of the disaster
Socioeconomic impacts

Currently, the floods and landslides in Sumatra are handled at the national priority level, which still ensures comprehensive mobilization of resources but stops short of the formal legal declaration of a national disaster.

Looking Ahead

While debates continue over the technical classification of the Sumatra floods, the government’s full-scale national response demonstrates Indonesia’s commitment to mitigating the disaster’s effects and restoring affected communities. Coordination between the central government, local authorities, and emergency agencies continues to be the focus in the coming weeks.