Govt Estimates Rp51 Trillion for Sumatra Disaster Recovery

Jakarta: Indonesia estimates that restoring infrastructure damaged by floods and landslides in Sumatra will require around Rp51 trillion, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono said on Sunday.

The estimate, equivalent to more than USD3 billion, was calculated by the Public Works Ministry and focuses on rebuilding basic infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and clean water facilities.

“The Public Works Ministry has estimated an allocation of around Rp51 trillion for rebuilding basic infrastructure, primarily roads, bridges, and clean water facilities,” Yudhoyono, also known as AHY, said, as quoted by Antara on Monday.

He stressed that repairing road access remains a top priority, as transportation routes are essential for distributing humanitarian aid and moving heavy equipment into disaster-hit areas.

“Without transportation routes, no matter how large the logistical or humanitarian assistance, it will be difficult to distribute it quickly, when speed should be the top priority,” he said.

AHY added that the government is still collecting data on housing damage caused by the disasters. Preliminary figures show that around 112,000 houses were damaged or destroyed by floods and landslides.

“The categories include light, moderate, and severe damage, as well as houses that were swept away or completely lost,” he said, urging relevant ministries to map damage levels accurately because repair costs vary by category.

The government is continuing efforts to restore infrastructure and rebuild thousands of damaged homes, including through cooperation with the Army’s bridge task force, which has constructed several emergency bridges in affected regions.

“We continue to strengthen synergy and collaboration so that ministries, the military, and the police can work effectively in the field,” AHY said.

He expressed hope that strong coordination among government agencies would accelerate post-disaster recovery and called on the public to support the government’s reconstruction efforts.