Sumatra Floods Worsen as Government Declines Foreign Aid

 Tangerang, Dec. 8, 2025 — The Indonesian government has refused to elevate the ongoing floods in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra to national disaster status, despite mounting damage and statements from at least seven Aceh regents who say their administrations are no longer capable of handling the crisis. The decision comes as floods that began around Nov. 25 continue to displace residents, damage infrastructure, and strain local resources.

The flooding has severely affected multiple districts, submerging homes, disrupting transportation, and limiting access to clean water, food, and healthcare. Local governments, particularly in Aceh, have reported that emergency response efforts are overwhelmed as heavy rainfall persists and floodwaters remain high.

Chairman of the Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (MPBI), Avianto Amri, criticized the central government’s refusal to raise the disaster status and its decision to decline international assistance, despite several countries offering help. He said such a stance reflects a failure to acknowledge the severity of the situation on the ground.

“Rejecting outside assistance in a situation like this is similar to ignoring the problem or denying the actual reality,” Avianto said. According to him, post-disaster recovery requires extensive resources, coordination, and long-term support that exceed the capacity of local governments alone.

Meanwhile, the central government has insisted that it remains capable of managing the disaster without foreign aid. Foreign Minister Sugiono expressed confidence in the government’s ability to respond to the floods affecting Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

“I am confident that we can resolve this problem,” Sugiono said at the Pancasila Building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Friday (Dec. 5). He added that Indonesia has not opened access to international assistance and would only do so if the government deemed it necessary.

“It remains closed until we feel that we need assistance,” he said, as quoted by BBC News Indonesia.

Despite these assurances, conditions in flood-affected areas remain critical. Thousands of residents are still displaced, while damaged roads and collapsed bridges have left several communities isolated. Local officials continue to urge the central government to reconsider its decision, warning that delays in scaling up disaster response could worsen humanitarian conditions and slow recovery efforts across the region.

source: https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/articles/cly16g07r7ro