Enviro News Asia, Aceh — Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry has intensified cross-sector coordination to accelerate the removal of flood-borne timber debris across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, following severe hydrometeorological disasters in the region.
Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki led a virtual coordination meeting on Sunday (21 December 2025) while visiting flood-affected areas in Aceh Tamiang. The meeting followed directives from the Minister of Forestry to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and expedite disaster impact mitigation.
“In line with the Minister’s instructions, we convened this meeting to focus on clearing timber debris carried by floodwaters,” the Deputy Minister said when opening the session.
He emphasized the need to evaluate progress and accelerate operations in Padang (West Sumatra), Aceh Tamiang and North Aceh (Aceh), and South Tapanuli (North Sumatra). “Our expectation is that Padang can become a quick win in this clean-up effort,” he added.
The meeting was attended by representatives of local governments, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), as well as the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri). The Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry reported that coordination continues to be strengthened, particularly to increase the deployment of heavy equipment in affected areas.
Progress Across Provinces
In West Sumatra, timber clearance along the Padang coastline began early in the morning with the deployment of eight excavators and strong community participation. The operation is expected to be completed within four to five days, despite the significant thickness of accumulated debris.
The Deputy Minister expressed appreciation and issued technical guidance, encouraging optimal allocation of heavy machinery for large timber removal and acknowledging community involvement. He also instructed that cleared timber be properly categorized—either disposed of at landfills or reused to support the construction of temporary shelters for flood victims.
In Aceh Tamiang, clean-up efforts are concentrated around Darul Muchsin Islamic Boarding School, with plans to operate eight excavators. Drone mapping shows debris covering approximately two hectares, with piles reaching up to four meters high and an estimated volume of 80,000 cubic meters. The operation is projected to take seven days, supported by additional personnel from the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob).
In North Sumatra, debris removal along the Garoga River has been underway for nearly 20 days, with less than 20 percent of the original volume remaining. Access challenges have slowed the arrival of heavy equipment. Joint teams from the Ministry of Forestry, TNI, and Polri continue river normalization, emergency bridge construction, and the cleaning of homes and public facilities.
Addressing risks from remaining timber upstream, the Deputy Minister instructed field units to deploy drones to assess access routes and ensure remaining logs are shredded to reduce the risk of renewed flooding during heavy rainfall. He outlined three priorities in Garoga: downstream clearance, monitoring landslide-prone upstream areas, and strengthening early warning systems for local communities.
In North Aceh, three excavators have successfully cleared the main mosque, restoring its use for residents. To speed up completion, the Deputy Minister confirmed that the number of excavators will be increased to seven units through coordination with BNPB and related agencies.
Closing the meeting, the Deputy Minister expressed appreciation for the collective efforts of all stakeholders and reaffirmed that flood-borne timber may be utilized to support post-disaster reconstruction as part of an integrated and sustainable recovery approach. (*)
