Aceh Flood Search Ends: One Month Later | Basarnas Update

Banda Aceh, Aceh — Search efforts for victims of devastating floods and landslides across Sumatra have concluded, with 31 people still missing after a month-long operation, officials said Thursday. The grim announcement signals a shift from active rescue to monitoring, as hopes dwindle for survivors.

Aceh Flood Search Ends: 31 Remain Missing

A month-long search operation in flood-hit regions of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra has been scaled back, leaving 31 residents unaccounted for.

• A month-long search operation concluded December 25, 2025.
• 31 residents of Aceh remain missing.
• The death toll across three provinces reached 1,135, with 503 fatalities in Aceh.
• Approximately 157,800 homes were damaged, most in Aceh (115,600).
• Basarnas will maintain a monitoring presence and respond to any new reports.

“The search operation that we have carried out over the past month has been concluded and shifted to a monitoring phase. In the last few days, the search has yielded no results,” Banda Aceh Basarnas Head Ibnu Harris Al Hussain stated Thursday. The active search phase officially ended on December 25, 2025, after 31 days of intensive efforts.

What are the chances of finding survivors after a month? Given the time elapsed since the disaster struck in late November 2025, authorities acknowledge the prospects for finding anyone alive are increasingly slim.

The floods and landslides, triggered by intense rainfall, impacted Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces. As of December 25, 2025, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported a total of 1,135 deaths across the three provinces, with Aceh bearing the brunt of the tragedy, accounting for 503 fatalities.

The scale of the damage is immense, with around 157,800 houses damaged or destroyed. Aceh alone accounts for approximately 115,600 of those homes, leaving a vast number of people displaced and in need of assistance.

Despite concluding the active search, Basarnas emphasized its commitment to continued monitoring. Teams will remain on standby and will be immediately deployed if any new information surfaces regarding potential victims. “We also urge the public to immediately report any findings of victims to assist with the evacuation process,” Al Hussain added. SAR teams will continue to monitor the disaster-affected locations.

Authorities are relying on community involvement to aid in the ongoing recovery efforts. Any sightings of potential victims are crucial, even after the official search phase has ended.