Indonesia Launches Clean Water Crisis Response For 69,000 Aceh Flood Evacuees

Aceh Utara – Indonesia's disaster response authority is confronting a large-scale clean water crisis emerging from the North Aceh floods. During an inspection of the affected zone, BNPB Chief Suharyanto identified the provision of safe water as a critical gap, mandating the immediate start of borehole digging projects at crowded evacuation points.

The directive comes as the humanitarian situation shows little sign of abating. Latest figures report that 69,020 individuals remain housed across 138 separate evacuation sites, indicating a massive and logistically challenging displacement scenario three weeks after the initial floods.

Suharyanto's visit to the Langkahan District aimed to assess ground conditions and accelerate relief. Beyond water, he promised full central government support for local requests, particularly in deploying heavy machinery to clear roads and communities of overwhelming mud deposits left by receding waters.

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The human cost of the disaster continues to be tallied. Official statistics now report 163 lives lost, with search operations ongoing for six missing persons. These figures underscore the severity of the flood event that struck the region on November 26, 2025.

The environmental aftermath presents a second-wave disaster. Agricultural officials report that 14,509 hectares of prime rice farmland are now rendered inert, coated in a dense layer of mud that prevents any cultivation. The loss threatens local food supplies and the economic stability of thousands of farming families.

Critical water management infrastructure has also been heavily compromised. Damage assessments confirm that 12 main irrigation areas and eight tertiary systems were damaged or destroyed by the floodwaters, complicating both immediate drainage and future agricultural recovery.

While the borehole initiative addresses the acute water shortage, Suharyanto signaled that medium-term solutions, such as building temporary housing, are in the planning stages. This transition from survival to stability requires detailed inter-ministerial coordination at the national level.

The BNPB's overarching pledge is to ensure government services reach the disaster zone comprehensively. "We ensure all needs of the flood victim evacuees... will be assisted by the central government," Suharyanto stated, framing the response as a sustained national commitment to the people of North Aceh.

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