BNPB Spokesperson Abdul Muhari said coordinated work between national and local authorities had restored the Tarutung–Padang Sidempuan corridor, previously blocked by heavy debris, improving access for residents and relief teams.
He said field observations on Monday showed heavy machinery clearing a 12-kilometer stretch from Bupayung Hamlet in Luat Lombang Village, Sipirok District, to Batu Jomba, a section heavily impacted by the landslides.
According to Muhari, 11 points along the route now allow limited-speed passage for certain vehicles, with only a few segments awaiting completion.
He said recovery progress means motorcycles and small cars can travel farther than in previous days.
Communities that had been isolated since the disaster are beginning to reconnect to surrounding areas, enabling authorities and volunteers to distribute supplies more efficiently as weather conditions stabilize.
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Muhari said reopening the Tarutung–Sibolga route is also yielding direct benefits for residents, ministries, and agencies engaged in the emergency response, allowing them to deploy personnel and equipment more smoothly.
Improved access has strengthened search-and-rescue operations, allowing teams to move with a fuller fleet while helping state utility firm PLN reach more villages to restore electricity.
Muhari said the progress is raising hopes that normal conditions can return soon.
BNPB has deployed additional personnel and vehicles to reach pockets of isolation where residents still lack food, water, and essential equipment, prioritizing areas inaccessible due to unstable slopes and continuous rainfall.
The agency also dispatched five helicopters operated by BNPB and the Indonesian Army to airlift supplies from Sisingamangaraja XII Airport in Silangit to high-risk zones unreachable by road.
In parallel, BNPB mobilized ground units from the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri), sending teams on foot through landslide corridors to deliver aid and verify remaining needs in remote communities.
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Translator: Hana Dewi Kinarina Kaban, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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