Natural Disasters in Sumatra and the Urgency for a Change 

Indonesia ranks among the world’s most disaster-prone nations because of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate, which trigger frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, and forest fires. Over the past 15 years, these events have caused more than $16.8 billion in economic losses, with the 2004 Aceh tsunami alone killing thousands of people in the country. Climate change, rapid urbanization, and environmental degradation intensify these disasters, turning them from occasional threats into regular crises that endanger lives, destroy livelihoods, and challenge national stability.

The Current Situation in Sumatra and Its Victims

In late 2025, catastrophic floods and landslides devastated Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra due to cyclone-driven heavy rains that overwhelmed rivers and triggered widespread destruction. By December 13, 2025, Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) confirmed 1,006 deaths all around Sumatra, as well as thousands of people being displaced and hundreds still missing.

More than 158,000 homes, 1,002 public facilities, stripping victims of shelter and income sources like farms and small businesses, while vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and low-income families face further hardship from the lack of clean water, healthcare, and safe shelters

Causes of the Disaster

Natural factors like heavy rainfall contribute, but human actions amplify the devastation in Sumatra. Deforestation for palm oil plantations and illegal logging has stripped upper watersheds, slashing the land’s capacity to absorb water and heightening flood and landslide risks. West Sumatra alone lost 32,000 hectares of forest in 2024, much of it cleared for oil palm on steep Bukit Barisan slopes, while 1.5 million hectares across Sumatra now support plantations that erode natural barriers against runoff. Peatland destruction worsens the picture, with less than 4% of peatlands remaining as pristine forest and over 20% degraded into fire-prone shrublands, fueling haze that spreads regionally

The Role of Risk Communication

Risk communication plays a pivotal role in mitigating Sumatra’s disasters by delivering clear, timely information on risks, early warnings, evacuation steps, and aid to at-risk communities. Yet gaps persist, especially in rural areas where language distrust of authorities, limited media access, and damaged infrastructure block vital messages from reaching people in time.

Effective strategies must engage local communities through culturally tailored messages across diverse channels, including social media, trusted leaders, and traditional methods, to build trust and enable proactive responses.

Indonesia’s disaster vulnerability emerges from geography, environmental mismanagement, and communication shortcomings, with Sumatra’s 2025 floods exemplifying how deforestation escalates human suffering and weak messaging heightens risks. Tackling these demands needs environmental policies, sustainable practices, and advanced risk communication that empowers communities to prepare, respond, and recover effectively. Through such integrated efforts, Indonesia can manage disaster tolls and foster long-term resilience.

Rereference 

Kryspin-Watson, J. G. S. Z. Y. J. (n.d.). Strengthening the disaster resilience of Indonesian cities : A policy note. World Bank. https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/748581569515561529

McCready, A. (2025, November 29). Indonesia death toll rises to 303 after catastrophic flooding in Sumatra. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/29/indonesia-death-toll-rises-to-248-after-catastrophic-flooding-in-sumatra

Miettinen, J., & Liew, S. C. (2010). Status of peatland degradation and development in Sumatra and Kalimantan. AMBIO, 39(5–6), 394–401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-010-0051-2

Salma. (2025, December 2). UGM expert: Severe Sumatra flash floods driven by upper watershed forest degradation. Universitas Gadjah Mada. https://ugm.ac.id/en/news/ugm-expert-severe-sumatra-flash-floods-driven-by-upper-watershed-forest-degradation/

Topic: Natural disasters in Indonesia. (2025, December 17). Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/8305/natural-disasters-in-indonesia/#topicOverview

Initiative, H. (2025). Situation Report #8 – Floods and landslides in Aceh Province, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra – Thursday, 13 December 2025. In ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/situation-report-8-floods-and-landslides-aceh-province-north-sumatra-and-west-sumatra-thursday-13-december-2025

 

Written by: Thrya Abdulraheem Motea Al-aqab

Edited by: Meigitaria Sanita