Dear readers and L&G Friends, as we enter this third installment, we once again invite you to take a closer look at the devastating impact of the floods and landslides in Sumatra. Having understood the natural causes and exacerbating factors of the disaster, we now explore the real damage left behind. Behind every loss figure are families who lost their homes, children who lost their schools, and communities who lost their livelihoods. With empathy, we attempt to illustrate the breadth of this tragedy’s impact so that we can learn from it and strengthen our collective preparedness.
In a small hillside village in West Sumatra, a child stands in front of the remains of what was once his home. Half a wall remains, a mattress has been swept away, and schoolbooks have been lost in the overflowing river. Around him, neighbors wade through the mud, searching for anything salvageable. Some search for motorbikes, others for important documents, and still others for family members.
The massive floods and landslides that struck Sumatra from late November to December 2025 not only damaged buildings and infrastructure but also devastated human lives in the most profound sense. The losses were not mere figures, but stories of loss, grief, and the struggle to start over.
In this third article, we will inventory the impacts of disasters across multiple dimensions—loss of life, environmental damage, local economic collapse, and the magnitude of the losses incurred. The goal is not to add to the grief, but rather to objectively understand the scale of disasters so we can prepare for better mitigation and protection in the future.
I. Impact on Humans: Wounds That Last Longer Than Water
- Casualties and Missing Persons
Data from local governments and BNPB shows that in the first week of December 2025:
- Hundreds of people died
- Hundreds more are still missing
- Thousands were injured
Many of the victims died due to:
- Strong flash flood currents
- A house that collapsed and buried its occupants
- A large landslide hit a settlement on a hillside
In some areas, the disaster came so quickly that residents did not have time to evacuate.
- Physical Disabilities: Long-Term Impacts That Are Often Overlooked
Many victims experience:
- Loss of a limb
- Spinal cord injury
- Severe injuries requiring surgery
- Physical and psychological trauma
Disabled victims face long-term challenges—medical care, job loss, and difficulty navigating daily life.
- Diseases and Health Impacts
Major disasters are almost always followed by a health crisis:
- Skin infection
- Diarrhea and vomiting and diarrhea
- Leptospirosis
- ARI
- Trauma mental
Crowded refugee camps increase the risk of disease transmission.
- Children Who Have Lost Their Parents
One of the most heartbreaking impacts is:
- Children who have lost their mother or father
- Babies separated from their families
- Students who lost friends, teachers, and school
They not only lost their protector, but also a stable future.
Infrastructure Collapse: When the Backbone of the Economy Collapses
The 2025 Sumatra disaster caused major damage to the basic infrastructure that is the foundation of people’s lives.
- Houses and Settlements
It is estimated that tens of thousands of houses suffered minor to total damage.
With the average construction cost of a simple house being Rp. 150–250 million, the value of losses can reach trillions of rupiah from the housing sector alone.
- Schools and Educational Facilities
Hundreds of schools were damaged due to:
- Submerged in water 1–2 meters high
- The wall collapsed.
- Missing learning equipment
The damage to schools impacted hundreds of thousands of students who were forced to study in emergency situations.
- Hospitals, Community Health Centers, and Clinics
Flood damage:
- Emergency Room
- Laboratory
- Drug installation
- High value medical devices
Repairing health facilities is expensive, and the recovery process often takes months.
- Road and Bridge Infrastructure
The damage to transportation infrastructure was one of the most severe.
Example of loss estimation:
- One large bridge was completely damaged → Rp. 50–150 billion
- Provincial road sections broken → Rp. 5–30 billion per kilometer
- Landslide blocks main road → cleanup costs Rp 500 million – 2 billion
Transportation is paralyzed, logistics are hampered, and the wheels of the economy have come to a standstill.
- Power Plants and Distribution Substations
Floods cause:
- Turbine damage to the power plant
- Transmission disturbance
- Submerged distribution substation
The value of damage to the energy sector is estimated to reach hundreds of billions of rupiah.
- Telecommunication Network
Damage includes:
- Telecommunication tower collapsed
- Fiber optic cable broken
- BTS is not working
Each BTS tower has an investment value of IDR 2–4 billion, not including the electronic equipment inside.
- Places of Worship, Sports Stadiums, and Tourist Attractions
Floods know no boundaries:
- Mosques and churches submerged
- The stadium is damaged
- Tourist attractions lose facilities
- Parking lot and supporting buildings damaged
The social and cultural sectors were also paralyzed.
Damage to the Economic Sector: From Rice Fields to Factories
- Agriculture, Rice Fields, and Farms
Thousands of hectares of rice fields failed to harvest. Mud covered:
- Paddy
- Corn
- Rubber plantations
- oil palm plantation
Losses are estimated to reach hundreds of billions to trillions of rupiah, depending on the region.
- Markets, Shops, and Shophouses
Many traders lose:
- Stock of goods
- Etalase
- Inventory
- Cooling machine
- Cashier system
The losses in the MSME sector are very large because the majority do not have capital reserves.
- Factories and Industrial Areas
Floods cause:
- Industrial machine broken
- Submerged raw materials
- Finished product lost
- Production stops completely
- Thousands of workers are out of work
Each large factory can incur losses of Rp. 20–200 billion depending on the type of industry.
- Modern Shops, Malls, and Hotels
This facility suffered huge losses due to:
- High value interior damage
- Electrical and central AC failure
- Electronic panel damage
- Decrease in occupancy
- Vehicles: Motorbikes, Cars, and Trucks
It is estimated that tens of thousands of units were damaged by the flooding.
Average loss per unit:
- Motorcycle: Rp. 5–10 million
- Car: Rp. 20–200 million
- Trucks: Rp. 300 million – 1 billion
Total losses in the vehicle sector: trillions of rupiah.
- Mobile Phones & Electronic Goods
Mass damage occurred at:
- Mobile phone
- Laptop
- TV
- Camera
- Household appliances
The value of losses in the electronics sector: hundreds of billions of rupiah.
Estimated Total Loss: How Much?
Based on previous national disaster patterns, here is a comparison:
- 2018 Palu Earthquake → Rp 13.8 trillion
- 2020 Jakarta Floods → Rp 5.2 trillion
- 2019 Sentani Flood → >Rp 1 trillion
Considering the extent of the affected area, the type of damage, and the amount of strategic infrastructure destroyed, the conservative estimate for the 2025 Sumatra Flood-Landslide is:
- Minimum Estimate: Rp 10–15 trillion
- Realistic Estimate: Rp 20–25 trillion
- Worst case estimate: could reach Rp 40 trillion
This value includes damage to:
- Infrastructure
- Houses and buildings
- Electronic equipment
- Agriculture and industry
- Vehicle
- Public facilities
- Large commercial and industrial assets
High Value Assets Affected
Some strategic assets that are likely to be impacted:
- Industrial areas in North Sumatra
- Palm oil processing factory
- Logistics warehouse
- Power plant installation
- Provincial road and bridge construction projects
- Hotels and shopping centers in big cities
Damage to assets worth billions to hundreds of billions of rupiah per location has increased the total loss significantly.
How Great a Loss We Have to Bear
The 2025 Sumatra disaster wasn’t just about moving water and land, but about lives changed in an instant. Homes were lost, families separated, livelihoods destroyed, and the future uncertain. The material losses can be measured, but the emotional and social toll will be felt far longer.
Therefore, rebuilding is not only the government’s task, but a shared task — the community, the business world, humanitarian agencies, and the insurance industry.
In the fourth article, we will discuss how insurance coverage can provide protection and assist the post-disaster recovery process.
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