Jakarta (VNA) - Authorities in the Indonesian provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra have extended the state of emergency to strengthen relief and recovery efforts as the death toll from flooding and landslides in many areas of Sumatra island has exceeded 1,000.
As disaster-related losses continue to rise, authorities in the affected provinces have decided to extend the state of emergency to ensure resources and legal mechanisms for response efforts. West Sumatra extended it to December 22, North Sumatra to December 24, and Aceh to December 25.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) of Indonesia reported that floods and landslides since late November have so far killed 1,016 people, injured around 7,600, and left at least 212 missing. Over 158,000 homes and roughly 1,200 public infrastructure facilities across 52 districts in the affected provinces were damaged or completely destroyed.
According to BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari, dozens of villages in Aceh remain isolated due to damaged roads, while isolation in North and West Sumatra has eased. Limited road access has made air deliveries the primary method for relief efforts. Over the past week, the Indonesian government has sent more than 383 tonnes of relief supplies to the affected areas.
Governor of West Sumatra Mahyeldi Ansharullah said the extension is necessary to accelerate infrastructure recovery and support affected residents. Meanwhile, Governor of Aceh Muzakir Manaf emphasised that the emergency status allows the locality to focus on repairing severely damaged bridges and roads./.
