Together with Residents, Insan Bumi Mandiri Provides Basic Food Assistance for Sumatran Flood Survivors

Bandung, 9 December 2025 – Flash floods and landslides that hit a number of areas in Sumatra, such as Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra, have affected the lives of thousands of families. Temporary data records that around 961 people have died, 298 people are still being searched for, and more than 1,057,482 people still have to evacuate (data as of December 9 2025).

Infrastructure damage was widespread. More than a thousand buildings no longer function, including 147,000 houses that were damaged, 405 bridges in three provinces were cut off, health facilities were destroyed, education and offices suffered serious damage.

Emergency aid continues to arrive, including that entrusted to the Insan Bumi Mandiri Foundation (IBM). The IBM team has distributed food packages and basic necessities to several sub-districts in three provinces affected by the flood disaster. Distribution is carried out over 6 days, from 29 November to 5 December 2025.

West Sumatra was one of the areas affected, so aid was distributed to Gurun Panjang Village in Bayang District (Pesisir Selatan Regency), Ngalau Gadang, Pancuang Taba, and Limau-limau Villages in North Bayang District, as well as Jorong Gunung Bungsu in Nagari Batipuah Baruah (Tanah Datar Regency). The assistance distributed by the IBM team was in the form of basic food packages, especially food, baby equipment, medicines, and basic needs for hundreds of families whose homes were submerged, isolated, or buried by landslides.

“Conditions on the ground are still far from stable. Many residents need basic logistical assistance, so the team is focused on ensuring that aid can reach isolated locations as quickly as possible,” said Dika Tilarso, a volunteer from West Sumatra.

Distribution was also carried out in Aceh Province, especially Kota Lintang Village in Aceh Tamiang, which for more than a week experienced disruption of electricity, communication networks and road access due to deep flooding which left serious damage. IBM distributed basic food packages to around 150 families in the area, accompanied by sweeps to surrounding points. Apart from that, the IBM team and volunteers also sent basic necessities to Tanjung Sari Village in Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra, where flooding has been going on for almost a month and affected thousands of residents.

“We continue to raise aid from various sources to help victims affected by the flood disaster. Thank God, yesterday we distributed the first stage of aid from the IBM Foundation in the form of rice, mineral water and instant noodles,” said Halim, a volunteer from Bireuen, Aceh.

Conditions in Sumatra are still far from recovering. Logistical assistance and support for affected residents is urgently needed. Hopefully conditions can recover gradually, and people can live safe and healthy lives. For those who want to help, IBM is still opening donations for victims of the Sumatra flood disaster. Visit donat.insanbumimandiri.org for more information.