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CatastropheIndonesia

Sumatra residents struggle as aid falls short after cyclone

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Kenya Winanti
December 13, 2025

Two weeks after a devastating cyclone swept across southeast Asia, thousands of people on Indonesia's Sumatra Island are still awaiting assistance. Local officials are urging the government to declare a national emergency.

Entire villages in Aceh province, on Indonesia's Sumatra Island, have been buried under mud after rare cyclone-driven floods devastated the region. More than half of Aceh is cut off from food, electricity and clean water, leaving thousands in shelters for weeks.

Local leaders say they lack resources and have urged a national disaster declaration to unlock aid. With recovery stalled and disease risks rising, many fear a crisis reminiscent of Aceh's tsunami 20 years ago.

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