Antara, Jakarta – Massive floods and landslides across western Indonesia have killed more than 100 people, displaced tens of thousands, crippled fuel supply lines, and exposed possible environmental damage upstream, authorities said on Saturday, as rescue teams struggled to reach isolated communities cut off by collapsed roads and overflowing rivers.
In one of the saddest images of the disaster, villagers in Aceh's Pidie Jaya district discovered the carcass of a critically endangered Sumatran elephant that had been swept out of the forest by a torrent of floodwater and lodged in a pile of uprooted logs. Residents of Meunasah Lhok village said they had never seen elephants in their area before.
"There are no elephants here. They live deep in the forest," said resident Muhammad Yunus, speaking to state news agency Antara. "We were shocked to see one dead because of the flood. So much wood was carried here, we've never seen logs this big."
The elephant was found in an area cut off by flash floods and the overflowing Meureudu River. Reaching the site required a two-hour trek on foot as roads remained impassable. Villagers were unable to move the carcass due to the rugged terrain and lack of equipment.
Pidie Jaya Deputy Regent Hasan Basri acknowledged that large volumes of timber had been swept into residential areas, but said officials could not yet determine whether illegal logging or deforestation upstream contributed to the scale of the flooding. "We still don't know what the conditions are like in the mountains. We will check the forest soon," he said.
Floods have inundated the district since Wednesday, killing at least 12 people and forcing more than 22,000 residents to flee. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed and the Banda Aceh – Medan national highway – Sumatra's main north – south artery – was severed, hampering relief efforts.
Fuel and food shortages
The disaster is part of a broader emergency across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra following days of intense rainfall. BNPB, Indonesia's national disaster agency, said 116 people had been confirmed dead in Sumatra alone as of Friday, with 42 still missing. Central Tapanuli was cited as the worst-hit area, with widespread landslides and washed-out roads cutting off entire communities.
BNPB reports that the death toll in Aceh has reached 35 people, with another 25 still missing as of Friday afternoon. In West Sumatra, 23 people have been confirmed dead and 12 others remain missing.
Fuel shortages have become widespread in Aceh Tenggara district, where floods destroyed key access routes linking the area to North Sumatra. With formal supply lines severed, remaining fuel on the market has tripled in price, pushing it far beyond official rates.
At a roadside queue in Kutacane, the district capital, motorists waited up to a kilometer to enter gas stations, if fuel was available at all. "I haven't been able to get fuel for three days," said Rajamin, a motorcycle taxi driver. "I rely on my vehicle to earn money. Now I can't work."
Ismail, a mobile water seller, said he had been unable to operate for the same reason. "I haven't sold anything for three days because there's no fuel," he said. Some kiosks still selling gasoline charged as much as Rp 30,000 per liter for Pertalite and Rp 40,000 for Pertamax, three to four times normal prices.
Authorities said fuel deliveries to some stations resumed on Saturday, but long queues persisted.
In Padang, West Sumatra's capital, severe flooding forced the suspension of classes for elementary and middle school students. With children staying home, the city's public nutrition service redirected its free school meals program to disaster survivors.
Since Thursday, the Tanah Sirah Nutritional Fulfillment Unit (SPPG) has delivered thousands of meals to displaced families. On Thursday, the unit supplied 1,200 cooked meals to a health center in Koto Tangah district, followed by 1,500 dry and wet food packages to a disaster post in Lubuk Minturun the next day. Distribution was temporarily halted on Saturday but expected to resume Monday depending on conditions.
Padang's education office said the school closures would remain in place until floodwaters recede and safety is assured.
Nationwide response mobilized
Indonesia's National Police said 87,924 personnel were now on standby across the country to respond to potential floods and landslides, with thousands already deployed in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. The force has activated search-and-rescue dog units, deployed patrol vessels and helicopters, and set up 28 public kitchens for evacuees.
"These efforts involve integrated support from regional police and headquarters," said police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko. Aid deliveries, including food, medical supplies, and rescue equipment, were flown in using police transport aircraft.
With power and water outages crippling emergency coordination in North Sumatra, the government has also dispatched Starlink satellite units and generators to restore communications. BNPB chief Suharyanto said 17 Starlink terminals were already on the ground and more may be needed, especially in open areas where evacuation shelters are located.
"President Prabowo Subianto's assistance has arrived, and we will distribute it based on needs in the field," he said.
BNPB has also deployed cloud-seeding operations to accelerate weather improvement and prevent further extreme rainfall.
Authorities expect communications support to remain critical in the coming days as rescue teams search for survivors and further assess damage in remote mountainous regions.