Death toll rises to 867 as Sumatra floods and landslides intensify scrutiny of illegal logging
Deadly floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have claimed 867 lives, with hundreds still missing. As rescue efforts continue, police and the forestry ministry are probing whether illegal logging worsened the scale of the disaster.
- BNPB reports 867 deaths, 521 missing, 4,200 injured, and 835,000 displaced across three provinces.
- Authorities are investigating whether illegal logging and upstream land clearing intensified the floods.
- Lawmakers and experts urge stronger environmental enforcement as evidence of timber debris raises concerns of human-driven forest degradation.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has reported a sharp rise in casualties from floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. The disaster has become one of the deadliest in the region in recent years.
As of 17.00 WIB on 5 December 2025, BNPB confirmed 867 deaths. The agency also recorded 521 people missing and 4,200 injured across the three provinces.
Damage to housing and public facilities is extensive. BNPB reported 121,000 damaged homes and impacts across 51 regencies and cities.
More than 835,000 people have been displaced, with Aceh Tamiang recording the highest number of evacuees at 281,300.
The disaster has also damaged 405 bridges, 270 health facilities, 509 schools and over 1,100 public facilities.
Authorities warn that numbers may continue to rise as access routes are cleared and rescue teams reach previously isolated areas.
BNPB noted that the highest death toll was recorded in Agam Regency, West Sumatra, with 156 fatalities.
Electricity and communication networks across affected districts remain unstable.
Police Investigate Possible Role of Illegal Logging
The scale of destruction has renewed scrutiny of forest management practices.
Authorities are now examining whether illegal logging or weak land-use oversight may have intensified the impact of the floods.
On 4 December 2025, Deputy Police Chief Commissioner General Dedi Prasetyo announced the formation of a joint investigative team involving the Criminal Investigation Department and regional police.
He stated that the probe aims to identify whether upstream logging contributed to environmental degradation and increased the force of floodwaters.
Public concern grew after floodwaters in West Sumatra carried mud, debris and numerous logs downstream. The presence of large timber fragments has raised questions about whether the materials originated from natural tree fall or illegal cutting.
The Ministry of Forestry has launched a parallel inquiry. Minister Raja Juli Antoni confirmed that teams are tracing the origin of logs using drone surveys and timber identification tools to determine if human activity played a role.
The Ministry said findings will be made public to ensure transparency.
Lawmakers Call for Stronger Environmental Enforcement
The Chair of the House of Representatives’ Commission IV, Siti Hediati Hariyadi, highlighted the dangers of illicit activity in upstream areas during her visit to Padang on 30 November 2025.
She stressed that illegal logging and unauthorised land clearing increase disaster risks for downstream communities.
Siti stated that environmental permits in affected regions must be reviewed and revoked if found problematic, noting that weak oversight has long contributed to erosion and watershed instability.
Experts Warn of Combined Natural and Human Causes
Researchers have cautioned that both natural factors and human activities likely contributed to the severity of the disaster.
According to Prof Dodik Ridho Nurochmat of IPB University, logs found in disaster zones appear to come from a mix of natural breakage and human-related cutting.
He noted that leftover timber from land clearing can significantly worsen floods and landslides during extreme rainfall, amplifying natural hazards and endangering communities.
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