Indonesia says it will require 51.82 trillion rupiah (US$3.11 billion) to rebuild three provinces in Sumatra devastated by cyclone-triggered floods and landslides, as the death toll climbs to one of the highest the region has seen in years. Official figures released on Monday show that 950 people have died, while 274 remain missing across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. The same storm system also killed around 200 people in southern Thailand and Malaysia.
Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, told a cabinet meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto in Aceh that the estimated recovery cost could still rise as assessments continue. According to him, Aceh suffered the most extensive destruction and will need 25.41 trillion rupiah, while North Sumatra and West Sumatra will require 12.88 trillion rupiah and 13.52 trillion rupiah respectively.
He added that reconstruction would begin soon in parts of North Sumatra and West Sumatra that have stabilised. Evacuees will be moved from crowded shelters into temporary 40-square-metre plywood houses provided by the government, before eventually transitioning to permanent homes built by the housing ministry. Suharyanto did not give a timeline for these relocations but said the intention was to begin work in areas deemed safe and accessible.
President Prabowo noted that his own calculations were “similar” to the figures presented by the disaster agency, although he did not clarify whether the expenditure had been officially approved. He stressed that the government had the capacity to manage the crisis and would aim to handle the recovery process with “meticulous” planning.
Prabowo acknowledged that conditions in some districts remained extremely serious, with rice fields, dams and large numbers of homes wiped out by the floods. He said many families would require support to rebuild their houses, adding that the distribution of medication, clothing and other essentials must remain a priority while reconstruction continues.
Melissa Enoch
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