Members of a choir pray for victims of deadly flash floods in Sumatra, as they gather to sing Christmas carols outside the fX Sudirman shopping mall, in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 23, 2025. -- Photo: REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
JAKARTA (Bernama): The new year arrives in Sumatra with a renewed sense of hope for thousands of families rebuilding their lives after devastating floods and landslides in late November last year, as communities, volunteers, and authorities continue to work together towards recovery.
Across the island, signs of recovery are becoming increasingly visible, from aid convoys moving steadily through affected towns to neighbours helping one another clear debris, rebuild homes and restore a sense of normalcy after months of hardship.
For Thomas Sitakar, the constant sight of aid-laden vehicles passing daily through his hometown of Sukaramai in Pakpak Bharat, North Sumatra, has offered some reassurance amid the devastation.
Working in Jakarta, the 27-year-old returned home recently to visit friends and family, an experience that also allowed him to witness the scale of the disaster first-hand. Sukaramai lies along the main road leading to some of the worst-hit areas, placing him directly in the path of ongoing relief efforts.
"Although my parents’ house was not affected, as a Sumatran, I felt the pain of those who lost everything.
"My house is about seven hours’ drive from Aceh. Every day, trucks carrying aid passed by. The nearby petrol station was also crowded; once, I had to wait almost three hours just to refuel.
"I really hope the aid reaches all affected areas and is not concentrated in just one location. It is not only Aceh that suffered,” he said when met recently.
Media reported that the floods and landslides that struck Sumatra in late November claimed more than 1,000 lives, with 165 people still missing.
According to Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), the disaster destroyed at least 166,925 houses, leaving residents in 52 cities and regencies homeless. A further 53,555 homes were severely damaged, 41,925 sustained moderate damage and 71,445 suffered minor damage.
This picture, taken on December 13, 2025, shows people walking across a landslide area after a road collapsed due to a flash flood about three weeks earlier, in Bener Meriah, in Indonesia's Aceh Province. The latest government figures issued on December 16 put the death toll of the devastating floods at 1,030 people. Another 205 remain missing in the aftermath of one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit Sumatra's resource-rich Aceh province, the scene of a killer tsunami in 2004. -- Photo by Iwan Gunadi Batubara / AFP
Infrastructure was also badly affected, with 215 health facilities, 3,188 schools, 803 places of worship and 34 bridges damaged.
Another Sumatran living in Jakarta, Rahmadi, 29, said his hometown of Lembah Anai in West Sumatra was also inundated by floods along with parts of North Sumatra.
"The entire village of about 30 houses was wiped out. Nothing is left. My parents’ house is around four kilometres from the affected area. Thankfully, they were safe,” he said.
As the new year begins, Rahmadi said his thoughts remain with friends and neighbours who were directly affected, expressing hope that survivors across Sumatra will receive continued assistance to help them rebuild their lives.
In solidarity with the victims, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto marked the start of the new year by visiting several disaster-hit areas in northern Sumatra to oversee post-disaster recovery efforts.
He also directed his staff to prioritise the repair of schools, hospitals and community health centres damaged by flash floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, while accelerating the construction of shelters for evacuees, reported ANTARA news agency.
Prabowo affirmed that the government provided adequate relief even without declaring a "national disaster" emergency status, and praised Danantara, the national sovereign wealth fund for completing 600 temporary housing units within eight days.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, thousands of Indonesians gathered in cities across the country as the clock struck midnight to welcome 2026, marking the New Year with reflection, unity and hope rather than the usual bursts of fireworks, reported Xinhua.
Jakarta and several other provinces in the Southeast Asian country chose to forgo fireworks in a solemn gesture of national mourning for the victims of the devastating flash floods and landslides that struck Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra provinces in late November 2025.
An aerial view shows the damage after floods and landslides in Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra, on December 21, 2025. --Photo by AHMAD RIDWAN NASUTION / AFP
As of Thursday, the disasters had claimed 1,157 lives, with 165 people still missing, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. More than 7,000 people were injured, while close to one million were displaced. Many affected areas continue to face damaged infrastructure and limited access to aid.
In Jakarta, hundreds of thousands of people gathered around the iconic Hotel Indonesia roundabout (Bundaran HI) to welcome the New Year with live music, interfaith prayers, communal countdowns and drone light shows instead of fireworks.
The drones, choreographed to convey messages of hope and togetherness, formed meaningful patterns like "Jakarta for Sumatra" in the night sky, offering a modern alternative to fireworks and reinforcing the contemplative tone of the evening.
"This celebration reflects Jakarta's spirit of love and solidarity, especially for disaster-affected communities," Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said.
The Jakarta administration also worked with charities and banks to facilitate donations at event venues and through online platforms, raising more than 3.1 billion rupiahs (about US$185,695) to support flood victims.
For many residents, the absence of fireworks did not dampen the festive atmosphere. "It was still fun even though there were no fireworks. It felt more meaningful," said Vanya, a 33-year-old resident of East Jakarta who attended the celebration at Bundaran HI. -- Bernama
