Indonesian Government Launches Comprehensive Flood Response

Multi-Agency Response Effort

The Indonesian government has initiated a comprehensive response to the recent flooding in Sumatra, involving multiple government agencies and security forces. The response includes significant financial, logistical, and personnel commitments.

Financial Support

The government has allocated an additional Rp268 billion emergency budget for disaster management ¹

. This allocation has been distributed to affected regions through the Belanja Tidak Terduga (BTT) fund, with Rp60 billion going to three provinces and Rp208 billion to 52 regencies and cities. The funds have been successfully transferred to regional government accounts within three days of the allocation ¹

Source 1

https://nasional.kontan.co.id/news/pemerintah-tambah-anggaran-belanja-tidak-terduga-rp-268-miliar-untuk-bencana-sumatra

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Food and Logistics Support

The Ministry of Agriculture has dispatched 44,000 tons of rice to the affected areas in Sumatra Barat, Sumatra Utara, and Aceh ²

. In addition to the rice, the ministry has prepared food reserves three times the immediate needs, totaling around 120,000 tons. The ministry has also coordinated the delivery of other essential supplies, including cooking oil.

Medical Response

The Ministry of Health has deployed 600 medical personnel, ranging from interns to specialists, to the disaster zones ³

. The first batch of 450 medical staff was prepared for immediate deployment. This medical support is crucial in preventing the spread of diseases in the affected areas.

Security and Infrastructure Support

The Indonesian National Police (Polri) has deployed 10,999 personnel to the affected regions, distributed across Polda Aceh, Polda Sumatera Utara, and Polda Sumatera Barat ⁴

. The police deployment includes specialized units such as Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) teams and trauma healing personnel.

The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) has mobilized 35,477 personnel, including ground troops, naval personnel, and air force personnel ⁶

. The TNI deployment includes advanced equipment such as KRI ships, Hercules aircraft, and K-9 units. Additional support includes four newly deployed battalions, comprising three engineering battalions and one territorial development battalion.

Coordination and Implementation

President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized that the government's response has been swift and effective, highlighting the deployment of numerous helicopters and aircraft for evacuation and supply distribution ⁵

. The government has also prioritized the delivery of essential supplies, including fuel, to remote areas using military aircraft.