KBRN, Jakarta: Collaborating with multiple ministries, state agencies, and local volunteers, the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) intensified efforts to clear disaster debris in flood-stricken Sumatran regions on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. 

This strategic partnership aims to urgently address the accumulation of wood waste and mud to ensure environmental safety and the immediate recovery of infrastructure, as announced by the Gunung Leuser National Park (BBTNGL) Head Subhan during an official statement.

"We are deploying personnel and equipment to the maximum extent so that the clearing of disaster-related wood waste piles can be completed immediately. Our main focus is opening access, cleaning educational facilities and residents' homes, and ensuring the environment is safe again," said Subhan, as quoted by Antara. 

He explained that in Aceh Tamiang Regency, the clearing of wood piles at the Darul Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School involved hundreds of joint personnel from the Ministry of Forestry, Indonesian Military (TNI), Indonesian National Police (Polri), National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR), and various partners.

As of Monday, December 22, 2025, the cleanup progress at that location has reached approximately 30 percent. Work has even continued into the night to speed up the handling process. 

Additionally, the cleaning of the first floor of the boys' dormitory has reached about 50 percent, while other teams continue cleaning the girls' dormitory. The removal of wood is planned to begin on Tuesday, using pulling and hauling mechanisms to transport it to temporary collection sites designated by the local government.

Meanwhile, in Langkahan Subdistrict, North Aceh Regency, Aceh, the joint team is focusing on opening road access to residential areas. To date, one kilometer of road access has been successfully cleared. 

Cleaning is also being carried out at Langkahan State Elementary School (SDN) 12 to support the recovery of teaching and learning activities. In North Sumatra, the Head of the North Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA), Novita Kusuma Wardani, explained that cleanup is being conducted in Aek Ngadol, Garoga, and Huta Godang villages.

Ministry of Forestry teams and the TNI are clearing piles of wood and mud from residents' houses, village roadsides, and public facilities. To prevent further impact, the team is also constructing ditches to collect liquid mud so that rainwater does not re-enter the homes that have already been cleaned. 

Novita added that the cleanup activities will continue gradually according to the daily work plans in the field. "We are ensuring that cross-sector synergy continues to function. The Ministry of Forestry is committed to being present in the field until environmental conditions and community activities are truly recovered," she said. 

The Ministry said that it will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders in accelerating the management of disaster impacts to restore access, the environment, and the lives of affected people in Aceh and North Sumatra. ***