Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian police have deployed an additional 1,500 personnel to strengthen disaster response and recovery efforts in flood- and landslide-hit areas of Sumatra, as frontline forces face severe exhaustion after nearly a month of continuous operations.
Deputy Police Chief Commissioner General Dedi Prasetyo said units stationed in affected areas have been working non-stop since the disaster struck on November 25. The reinforcements aim to maintain the effectiveness of rescue operations and post-disaster recovery.
Under the plan, around 600 police officers will be deployed to Aceh Tamiang and North Aceh, while the remaining 900 personnel will come from the National Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob), mobilised from various localities nationwide. The deployment was carried out at the request of Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB).
Previously, Indonesia had mobilised tens of thousands of police officers nationwide to respond to natural disasters and emergency situations. In the affected provinces alone, between 8,000 and 10,000 personnel have been directly involved in rescue missions, evacuation efforts, and community support activities.
In addition, the Indonesian National Police are preparing plans to rotate personnel over the next two months to ensure the continuity of disaster response operations, as the country observes the Christmas season and prepares for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, periods that require increased manpower to meet community needs.
Meanwhile, BNPB reported that the death toll from floods and landslides in West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh continues to rise. As of December 26, the number of fatalities had reached 1,137, while 163 people remained missing.
Search and rescue operations are still under way despite challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions./.
