The Condition of Victims One Month After the Disaster
On Friday, December 26, 2025, I rode in my friend’s car as we went deeper into villages severely affected by flooding in Meurah Dua District, Pidie Jaya. We passed through two neighboring villages along the way.
Exactly one month after the floods, the victims can only rely on themselves. Every day, little by little, they dig and remove the soil that has buried their homes, using only basic tools.
Some houses are buried under one meter of soil, while others are covered by nearly three meters. Some residents have already given up—exhausted and resigned, unable to shovel soil that has hardened to such depths.
Other villagers dig into their homes just to retrieve items needed to survive. It looks like a treasure hunt, but in reality they are only searching for a frying pan to cook, or basic household necessities. For now, they can only live crowded together in evacuation tents.
The flash floods that struck Aceh and Sumatra on November 26, 2025, were not ordinary floods. The raging waters carried not only mud, but also massive logs. After the water receded, soil and timber piled up, as if swallowing entire homes.
The damage is not only material. Water sources have also been lost—wells are buried and dried up. To this day, access to clean water remains extremely difficult. Emergency wells are only available at evacuation centers. Some remote villages still have no electricity.
My volunteer team and I are currently surveying the area to provide access to clean water. Several ideas are already being discussed, including the costs involved. At this moment, clean water is the most urgent need for flood victims. Water is the source of life—without it, life comes to a standstill.
If you are wondering whether a government with vast resources is incapable of handling this disaster—
I don’t know. Whether they are incapable, or simply unwilling.
@nevent1qqs...
