December 10, 2025 | 01:34 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several vital road sections in the Sipirok sub-district of South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, remain obstructed by significant landslide material. Persistent heavy rainfall since the end of November 2025 has saturated the area, leaving roads choked with mud and soil.
As of Tempo's observations on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, heavy equipment, including excavators, has been deployed to multiple locations previously isolated by the slides. Despite these efforts, road access is not yet fully clear.
At one critical point where the road was completely cut off, a joint team of police and military personnel attempted to create an alternative route by digging into the roadside land. However, deep mud puddles continue to prevent four-wheeled vehicles from passing. On Tuesday afternoon, during a fresh downpour, the depth of the mud reached the knees of an average adult.
This obstruction dramatically hampered evacuation efforts. An ambulance transporting the body of an elderly disaster victim was forced to stop due to the impassable conditions. Police, military, and local residents then had to manually carry the coffin across the treacherous, muddy section.
Floods and landslides in South Tapanuli have damaged or affected at least 1,660 homes. Tragically, the death toll has climbed to 85 people as of December 6, 2025.
This data is sourced from the interim report compiled by the South Tapanuli Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). Julkarnaen Siregar, the Head of Operations for the South Tapanuli BPBD, confirmed that the joint task force is still working on comprehensive data collection to fully verify the extent of the damage.
"The joint team, comprising personnel from BNPB, BPBD, TNI, Polri, Basarnas, along with volunteers and the community, is actively continuing the search for missing residents. The distribution of essential aid is also ongoing," Julkarnaen stated in a written release.
Read: 969 Dead in Sumatra Floods and Landslides, Indonesia's BNPB Reports
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