21 Heavy Equipment Deployed To Handle Water Infrastructure In Flood Affected Areas & Aceh Landslides

The Ministry of Public Works (PU) noted that 21 units of heavy equipment have been working to restore river conditions, embankments and basic community services after the floods and landslides that hit a number of areas in Aceh Province.

A total of 21 heavy equipment have been mobilized by the Sumatra I River Basin Center (BWS) in affected districts such as Pidie Jaya, North Aceh, West Aceh, Aceh Tamiang, Central Aceh, Bireuen and Southeast Aceh.

One of the priority works is the continuation of the transfer of the Manyang River in Meureudu District, Pidie Jaya Regency which continues to be worked on to prevent water runoff from spreading to settlements.

The activity was carried out non-stop since late November and became one of the locations with the highest escalation of handling.

PU Minister Dody Hanggodo said all technical centers of the Ministry of Public Works continue to move quickly to help the community. He said emergency handling of embankments, rivers and vital access must be ensured to run without waiting.

"We will continue to strengthen heavy equipment support and personnel until conditions recover," said Dody in a written statement, Tuesday, December 9.

BWS Sumatra I, which is the technical center of the Ministry of Public Works, continues to strive to deal with water resource infrastructure, considering that the impact of the disaster caused 36 embankments to collapse, 143 critical embankments and damage to irrigation networks in various districts.

Emergency handling is carried out in parallel by prioritizing risk locations for aftershocks through the deployment of heavy equipment and emergency response personnel.

Dozens of heavy equipment such as excavators, long arm excavators to wheel loaders work in critical locations with river flow diversion work, sediment cleaning, embankment repairs, and access opening for logistics and evacuation.

Cleaning up education and religious infrastructure is also a concern. On December 8, 2025, the Sumatra I BWS team was dispatched to clean up Dayah's infrastructure (Aceh's Traditional Islamic Education Institute) in Samalanga District, Bireuen Regency, as well as to open access roads for inspections and other public facilities affected by mud and flood materials.

Dody ensured that the emergency handling would continue until all critical locations were handled and the basic service conditions of the community returned to normal.

"Coordination with local governments, BPBD and TNI/Polri is also strengthened to ensure that the distribution of heavy equipment, logistics and field activities runs effectively and measurably," he added.