Enviro News Asia, Padang — Floods and landslides that struck the Batu Busuk area, Lambung Bukit Sub-district, Pauh District, Padang City, West Sumatra, have caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, forcing dozens of families to evacuate and disrupting local economic activities.
Through its Forestry Sector Disaster Response Program, the Forum Komunikasi Masyarakat Perhutanan Indonesia (FKMPI) has once again extended assistance to affected communities. The aid distribution in Batu Busuk marked FKMPI’s second humanitarian response in Padang on Tuesday, following an earlier delivery to Lubuk Tempurung Village on the same day. Similar assistance had previously been provided in Aceh and North Sumatra.
The aid was distributed by FKMPI, a collaborative forum comprising Asosiasi Pengusaha Hutan Indonesia (APHI), APKI, APKINDO, ISWA, ASMINDO, ILWA, and HIMKI. Representing FKMPI, APHI Chairman Soewarso handed over the assistance to Anwar Zaid, Head of Neighborhood Unit (RW) 03 of Lambung Bukit, with the involvement of the APHI Riau Regional Committee, whose working area includes West Sumatra. The handover was accompanied by FKMPI Secretary Tjipta Purwita, APHI Secretary General Purwadi Soeprihanto, APHI Public Relations and Cooperation Committee Chair Sugijanto, and APHI Riau Regional Secretariat officials.
The relief packages consisted of sleeping mattresses, gas stoves with cylinders, kitchen equipment, and basic food supplies. The assistance was prepared based on coordination with local administrators and assessments of the most urgent post-disaster needs, particularly among severely affected households.
The second phase of assistance complemented initial emergency responses previously carried out by APHI members across Sumatra, including the distribution of food aid and the deployment of heavy equipment to reopen access roads and clear landslide debris in several affected locations.
APHI Chairman Soewarso stated that the presence of the forestry sector in Batu Busuk reflects a long-term commitment to community welfare. “We view villages as communities that must be supported. This assistance is intended as a starting point to help residents resume their daily activities,” he said.
FKMPI Secretary Tjipta Purwita emphasized that FKMPI serves as a coordination platform for upstream and downstream forestry stakeholders to align disaster response efforts with government programs. “Through FKMPI, disaster response can be implemented effectively through coordinated stakeholder engagement,” he noted.
Local community leader Anwar Zaid expressed appreciation on behalf of Batu Busuk residents, stating that more than 300 households had been affected, with at least 72 homes severely damaged or washed away. He highlighted the importance of sustained multi-sector collaboration to ensure an inclusive and effective recovery process.
The program also involved forestry student organizations, including Sylva Indonesia and the International Forestry Student Association Indonesia, which deployed student volunteers to support aid distribution. Their participation was seen as both a humanitarian contribution and a learning opportunity regarding the social dimensions of sustainable forestry.
FKMPI affirmed that the Forestry Sector Disaster Response Program will continue to be implemented in phases, reinforcing community resilience and fostering long-term partnerships among forestry stakeholders, local governments, and youth in disaster-prone areas. (*)
