Prabowo Visits Aceh Tamiang as Sumatra Flood Death Toll Nears 1,000

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto visits disaster-hit Aceh Tamiang on Friday, Dec 12, 2025 in Aceh to assess flood damage and ensure aid reaches displaced residents as Sumatra floods leave nearly 1,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands homeless. The visit follows his direct order to accelerate emergency response, health services, and infrastructure repairs.

Prabowo arrived by helicopter at a football field in Aceh Tamiang after flying from Medan, then proceeded to evacuation centers and health posts serving flood victims. He observed extensive damage along access roads, including thick mud deposits, uprooted trees, and destroyed homes.

"I came as I promised, when Tamiang was still cut off," Prabowo said. "Now it has reopened, and I wanted to see the people directly."

At evacuation tents, Prabowo spoke with displaced residents, checked medical services, and interacted with children sheltering at the site. He also inspected damaged residential areas beneath bridges where debris, wooden fragments, and household items had been swept away by flash floods.

The president emphasized that food, medicine, and health services must reach victims without delay. He also instructed officials to fast-track repairs to vital infrastructure, including bridges, roads, embankments, and communication networks.

Earlier the same day, Prabowo arrived at Kualanamu International Airport in Deli Serdang after more than nine hours of travel from Moscow, following state visits to Pakistan and Russia. He immediately continued inspections across affected areas in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

During a limited cabinet meeting on Sunday, Dec 7, 2025, Prabowo stressed that public safety was the top priority and warned against delays in aid distribution. "Medicines must arrive immediately, that is the priority," he said.

According to disaster management data, the floods have caused widespread casualties and displacement across Sumatra. Aceh recorded 406 deaths, 28 missing persons, 4,300 injured, and about 831,124 displaced residents.

North Sumatra reported 343 deaths, 97 missing persons, 699 injured, and around 20,474 displaced residents. West Sumatra recorded 241 deaths, 93 missing persons, 382 injured, and about 42,503 displaced residents.

In total, the Sumatra floods have killed 990 people, left 218 missing, injured more than 5,400, and forced roughly 894,101 people to flee their homes. Emergency response operations remain ongoing across the affected provinces.