Culture Minister Fadli Zon said the ministry is continuing to identify affected sites across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, where heavy rainfall in late November triggered widespread flooding and landslides.
“The number has grown from 43 to 70, and then exceeded 100. It was hard to reach areas with cut-off access before,” he told reporters in Jakarta.
Data collection is being carried out by local Cultural Preservation Offices (BPK) in each province.
Preliminary findings show that most sites sustained light to moderate damage, while several suffered severe destruction.
The ministry’s assistance will cover sites across all damage categories, including museums, historic cemeteries, and tombs designated as cultural heritage.
Recovery efforts are expected to begin next week, with local communities involved in the restoration process.
The disasters, which struck in late November, caused widespread devastation.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of December 21 the death toll had reached 1,090, with 186 people still missing.
Authorities reported damage to 147,236 houses, including 44,051 severely damaged, 29,809 moderately damaged, and 73,376 lightly damaged.
Officials emphasized that safeguarding cultural heritage is part of broader recovery efforts, alongside humanitarian relief and infrastructure rehabilitation.
Translator: Sri Dewi, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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