“Yes, it has already been carried out,” Yudhoyono told reporters on Saturday during the Conference on Indonesian Foreign Policy (CIFP) 2025, in response to questions about infrastructure repair assistance to Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
He said President Prabowo Subianto has been closely monitoring disaster response developments in the three provinces.
The central government, he added, is aware that several cities and districts are effectively paralyzed due to disrupted communication and logistics.
For this reason, Yudhoyono emphasized that evacuating residents from dangerous areas remains the top priority.
“We want to ensure human rescue comes first, including medical evacuation, as well as the delivery of logistics, since many connections are cut off,” he said.
After evacuations are completed, infrastructure repairs begin. Yudhoyono explained that the Public Works Ministry will deploy heavy equipment to support rapid recovery from landslides and flooding while restoring essential facilities.
“The first stage is emergency disaster response to save residents. After that, we map the situation, because not every condition allows immediate reconstruction. However, we will deploy the necessary equipment, materials, and personnel on site as quickly as possible,” he affirmed.
The government has delivered aid by land and air, although severe damage and cut-off access have made helicopter and aircraft landings challenging.
On Friday (November 28), the government dispatched three Hercules C-130 and one A-400 aircraft from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta to deliver assistance, and aid distribution will continue according to needs on the ground.
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Translator: Kuntum, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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