Indonesia Resists National Disaster Declaration as Sumatra Floods Kill Hundreds

Indonesia's central government has declined growing calls to formally declare the recent floods and landslides in Sumatra a national disaster, even as the death toll rises to at least 800 and large areas remain devastated.

Why officials are cautious

The national government says it has the resources to manage the response without invoking the national-disaster designation, which in recent memory has been used only three times: following a 1992 earthquake and tsunami, after the 2004 tsunami that killed tens of thousands, and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

President Prabowo Subianto’s administration argues the crisis is concentrated in parts of Sumatra and can be handled with existing national and provincial mechanisms. Disaster agency head Suharyanto (who uses a single name) described the emergency as "the provincial level," saying the president has mobilised aid, the military has deployed defence equipment, and all available disaster-agency resources have been activated. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the agency has sufficient funds and more can be released if required.

Calls for a national declaration

Local lawmakers, civil society groups and rights organisations have urged a national declaration, saying it would unlock additional funds, streamline coordination and allow outside assistance. Teuku Abdul Khalid, an Aceh lawmaker from one of the worst-affected provinces, said the floods' damage to infrastructure is "more severe than the tsunami" of 2004 and argued the situation warrants a national response.

“From the beginning, I have stated that it should be declared a national disaster,” said Teuku Abdul Khalid.

Amnesty International Indonesia and other groups have called for urgent action so domestic and international agencies can be mobilised quickly to reach survivors.

On-the-ground conditions and relief efforts

The government reports that military helicopters and ships have delivered supplies from national stockpiles, including 34,000 tonnes of rice and 6.8 million litres of cooking oil. But delivering aid remains extremely difficult: floods have washed away bridges and destroyed roads, isolating many communities; fuel is scarce; and electricity and telecommunications are down or intermittent across large areas.

At a shelter in Nisam, northern Aceh, 46-year-old resident Eli Ani said her village had not received assistance. “No aid has reached our village at all,” she said, describing homes coated in mud left behind by receding floodwaters. Residents are surviving on bread, bottled water and instant noodles, she added, and some goods are hard to find or expensive where available.

Political and economic concerns

Analysts say political and economic considerations help explain the government's reluctance. Arifki Chaniago of the Aljabar Strategic think tank said officials fear a national-disaster label could alarm investors or be perceived as an admission they cannot manage the crisis. Public policy expert Adrian Wijanarko warned the designation might require diverting funds from flagship social programs and could open the door to greater international involvement.

Local residents continue to urge faster and wider relief. “I realise the situation... but please think of a quick way to help,” Eli said.