Disease spreads among Sumatra flood victims

As fevers, typhoid and skin infections surge among survivors of last week’s deadly floods, the authorities are stepping up medical outreach and disease-prevention efforts across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra to contain outbreaks and protect vulnerable communities.

Devastating flash floods and landslides struck a large part of the northern tip of Sumatra last week after Tropical Cyclone Senyar, a rare storm forming in the Malacca Strait, hit the region, with a devastating impact on communities and public infrastructure.

Official data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency on the afternoon of Dec 5 reported that the disaster affected at least 3.1 million people across the three provinces, with the death toll rising to 867 and 521 people still missing.

The Health Ministry is closely monitoring a rise in post-flood illnesses in the affected provinces, focusing on preventing outbreaks. Its director of surveillance and health quarantine, Dr Sumarjaya, said the diseases appearing include skin infections, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, influenza-like illnesses, typhoid, leptospirosis, measles, pertussis, malaria and dengue.

Medical teams have begun door-to-door outreach, Dr Sumarjaya said, offering care to those unable to reach health centres.

“We are proactively reaching out to different areas, not just one location, but wherever there’s a need. We are providing services even in areas without access to clean water or proper hygiene,” Dr Sumarjaya said on Dec 5 at a press conference.

“Our main focus now is to address these issues first, especially to prevent widespread conditions like itching, respiratory infections and other diseases that could have a larger impact,” he added.

West Sumatra has reported the highest number of cases, with 376 people experiencing fever across five regencies, namely Pasaman, West Pasaman, Agam, Pesisir Selatan and Tanah Datar, between Nov 25 and 29.

As at Dec 5, many areas remained cut off by damaged roads and bridges, leaving thousands of evacuees isolated and struggling for food, clean water and medical care, reported AFP.

“The impact of the floods is widespread,” said Mr Ade Soekadis, executive director of non-governmental organisation Mercy Corps Indonesia, noting that the affected area across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra is larger than Bangladesh.

Rejected foreign aid

The government has resisted pressure to declare a national emergency, a designation that would open the door to foreign aid, even as several international actors, including the UN, have offered support, and Malaysia sent a large medical shipment to Aceh comprising two million doses of medicine and two tonnes of equipment over the weekend.

The stance comes despite growing frustration among survivors at the pace of rescue and aid delivery, with many expressing concern that help is not reaching them quickly enough.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono said on Dec 5 that several countries had offered aid for the affected regions, but stressed that the government is capable of handling the situation independently.

“We express our gratitude for the attention, but we are managing everything that needs to be handled. Though several countries have offered assistance, we are not accepting help for now,” he said in Jakarta at a send-off ceremony for humanitarian aid from Indonesian diplomats, including dried food, medicine and other essentials.

“Many have told us to make requests whenever needed, but we will not take assistance until it is necessary. With our collective effort, I am confident we can resolve this issue,” he added.

Still scrambling

A week after Cyclone Senyar struck Sumatra, the authorities are continuing the search for the missing and working to distribute aid to affected communities. Aceh has been the hardest-hit province, with 18 regencies out of its 23 cities and regencies affected.

Nearly 770,000 residents remain displaced, according to official data as at the afternoon of Dec 5.

Restoring connectivity is a top priority, particularly in isolated districts like Aceh Tamiang, Pidie Jaya, Aceh Timur and Bener Meriah, where alternative routes are being built and fuel is being flown in to support road repairs, the Aceh governor’s spokesman Muhammad MTA said on Dec 4.

“In Aceh Tamiang, the situation was the most severe due to isolation. The governor reached Tamiang by land from Langsa and reported a strong smell of decomposing bodies,” he said, noting that local reports suggest a large number of fatalities.

“Many inland areas remain inaccessible, and efforts are ongoing to reach these regions from both inland and coastal routes to evacuate the victims. We really hope that national volunteers can gain access to assist with evacuation and clean-up efforts,” he added.

Meanwhile, the government has intensified its investigation into the floods and landslides amid concerns that deforestation and unsustainable land use may have intensified the devastation.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said on Dec 4 that permits for 20 companies accused of environmental violations will be revoked, pending approval from President Prabowo Subianto. He added that 12 firms in North Sumatra are suspected of contributing to the disaster, though he did not name them. The ministry will pursue legal action once findings are verified.

Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq added that permits for eight companies in disaster-hit areas have been revoked, and their operations suspended pending a full review. The companies have also been summoned for questioning next week. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK