December 4, 2025 | 06:51 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Forestry is currently investigating the alleged involvement of 12 companies in the environmental damage that triggered the floods in Sumatra. Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni said the investigation is being conducted after indications of activities that have damaged forest areas and river basins.
"The Law Enforcement Team of the Ministry of Forestry is currently investigating legal subjects who are indicated to have contributed to the occurrence of floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra," said Raja Juli during the joint meeting with the House Commission IV (DPR) on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
From the initial investigation, he mentioned finding indications of violations in 12 locations involving companies in North Sumatra. Raja Juli assured that legal enforcement against the parties will be conducted soon.
"Our team is still on-site to deepen the findings and search for other legal subjects involved. We will later convey the complete results to Commission IV and the public," he said.
He explained that the massive floods that hit Sumatra were caused not only by extreme weather but also by damage to strategic environmental areas. According to him, the tropical cyclone Senyar worsened the conditions of the water catchment areas and river basins that were already damaged.
"This disaster occurred due to a combination of several factors such as tropical cyclones, the geomorphological conditions of river basins, and damage to water catchment areas," he said.
The flash floods and landslides that occurred since November 25, 2025, have affected the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Based on data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), until Thursday, the total number of deaths reached 776, while 564 people are still missing, and around 2,600 people are injured.
The Ministry of Forestry found 70 flood points in 31 river basins in Aceh Province. Raja Juli explained that based on satellite image analysis from 2019 to 2024, there has been a change in land cover of 21,476 hectares from forest to non-forest. This includes 12,159 hectares in forest areas and 9,317 hectares outside them. Furthermore, the province also has critical land covering 217,301 hectares or 7.1 percent of the affected area.
Meanwhile, in North Sumatra, there are 92 flood points in 13 river basins. These river basins experienced a change in land cover of 9,424 hectares, with other land uses dominating. Raja Juli said that the critical land in the affected areas reached 207,000 hectares or 14.7 percent.
In West Sumatra, there were 56 flood points in 13 river basins. The change in land from forest to non-forest reached 1,821 hectares, mostly located in forest areas. This province also has critical land covering 39,816 hectares or 7 percent of the total affected area.
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