In late November, extreme rain linked to Cyclone Senyar hit Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Floods and landslides swept through towns and villages, and in parts of Aceh the water reached rooftops.
By 2 December, Indonesia’s disaster agency put the death toll at 712. More than 1.5 million people were affected and about 570,000 had been forced from their homes. Many sheltered in public buildings with no clean water or electricity.
Paying for water to survive
As the days went on, the death toll passed 1,000. In some areas, families were paying 50,000 rupiah (about $3) for a drum of clean water. Survivors sheltering in mosques and schools said they still struggled to get power and safe water.
President Prabowo Subianto visited the worst-hit areas and admitted that the central government’s response had been slow in some places.
What clean water changes after a flood
- Health: safe water in shelters stops disease spreading.
- Fairness: no family should have to buy water to stay alive.
- Recovery: cleaned wells let people start rebuilding.
How you can help
Share this story and follow charities supporting families in Sumatra. Tell someone that recovery takes months, not days.
Source: Christian Post, “Indonesia flooding disaster leaves over 600 dead, hundreds missing”, December 2025; Asia News Network, “Flood deaths in Indonesia’s Sumatra exceed 1,000”, 16 December 2025.
