Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Indonesia faced a series of hydrometeorological disasters as the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported widespread flooding and ongoing emergency operations across Sumatra and Aceh on 28 November 2025. BNPB compiled incident data and response measures up to Friday at 07:00 Western Indonesian Time.
Floods first struck Binjai City, North Sumatra, on Wednesday evening after intense rainfall caused three rivers—the Bingai, Mencirim, and Bangkatan—to overflow. The inundation affected 5,818 households or 19,349 residents across 21 urban wards in five districts. The Binjai Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) established public kitchens, opened an evacuation post on T. Imam Bonjol Street, provided medical services, and prepared personnel for additional evacuations while continuing field data updates through Thursday.
Further flooding occurred in Tebing Tinggi City on Thursday morning after the Padang and Bahilang rivers overflowed due to heavy upstream rainfall in Simalungun and Serdang regencies. The disaster affected 26 urban wards across five districts, impacting 5,054 households or 13,337 residents and inundating 4,080 homes. BPBD deployed personnel for field assessments, coordinated with river basin authorities, and evacuated affected residents.
Serdang Bedagai Regency experienced flooding up to 60 centimeters on Thursday morning, affecting 186 households or 575 residents across four districts. The flood damaged residential areas and submerged 80 hectares of plantation land and 60 hectares of horticultural fields. BPBD conducted coordination and direct on-site response.
In Aceh Province, flooding struck South Aceh Regency, affecting 24 villages across eight districts and impacting 878 households or 3,106 residents. Water levels reached 10 to 40 centimeters and began to recede in several areas by Thursday. BPBD coordinated with local authorities, including the regional leadership coordination forum, to implement emergency measures.
Pidie Regency also reported flooding on Thursday following high-intensity rainfall that inundated 24 villages across eight districts, affecting 726 households or 2,547 residents. The disaster damaged riverbanks and 55 hectares of agricultural land. BPBD carried out coordination, response actions, and continuous data verification.
Aceh Tenggara Regency recorded severe flooding on Wednesday afternoon, affecting 71 villages across 14 districts and causing one fatality. The disaster impacted 774 households or 1,879 residents and damaged infrastructure, including four bridges, three embankments, and three road sections. BPBD deployed rapid-response teams, while local authorities established a command post and mobilized heavy machinery to support emergency efforts.
BNPB also reported updated casualty data from recent floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. As of Friday morning, Aceh recorded six fatalities and 11 missing persons, mainly in Bener Meriah and Gayo Lues regencies. North Sumatra reported 55 fatalities and 41 missing individuals, with the highest numbers in Central Tapanuli and South Tapanuli. West Sumatra confirmed 21 deaths, according to the Deputy Governor’s morning press briefing.
The government established a main command post in Tarutung, North Tapanuli, due to its strategic accessibility for mobilizing equipment, logistics, and personnel across the three disaster-affected regions. Authorities defined three emergency priorities: restoring road access blocked by landslides and damaged bridges; optimizing food and logistics distribution using one aircraft and one helicopter, with more aircraft ready if required; and reestablishing communication and electricity networks in coordination with PLN and telecommunications providers.
BNPB announced that two aircraft were deployed for weather modification operations to support emergency actions. The agency stated that communication restoration remains critical so affected communities can reconnect with relatives after days of disrupted contact.
To aid families seeking lost relatives, BNPB opened a public hotline at 081161645500. Callers are instructed to provide the missing person’s name, age, gender, address, and last known location. BNPB will forward the information to personnel stationed in each affected district for field verification. (*)
