At the end of November 2025, Tropical Cyclone Senyar triggered extreme rainfall, that caused devastating floods in three provinces in Indonesia: Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. As of 14 January 2026, official figures recorded more than 1,000 deaths and over 130,000 people displaced in the three provinces.
MSF arrived in Aceh Tamiang on 5 December 2025. Ivan Sinaga, the Head of Mission in Indonesia, recalled the conditions at the time, “The city was dark because there was no electricity and there’s no mobile coverage. It was basically covered in thick mud.” Seventeen out of 19 health facilities, including 12 primary healthcare centres in Aceh Tamiang, were no longer functional after floods and heavy mud covered it.
Syahri, Head of Post in Pengidam Village, recounted how quickly the water rose, reaching the height of 11 meters on the night of 26 November 2025. “We didn’t have any boat, so we used tires and jerrycans to evacuate to the higher ground in panic and darkness.” He added, “The flood receded two days later, leaving behind destroyed homes and mud. The mud even covered rooftops.”
Although the flood had subsided, MSF sustained and scaled up its response operations until the end of January 2026:
Another major problem emerged as the flood receded: mud up to one-meter-thick burying homes and public facilities.
Aside from direct medical services, MSF also supported the operation of the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) under the DHO of Aceh Tamiang. These include the supply of power sources (generators), Starlink internet connectivity, as well as operational support and data collection.
“The rehabilitation and cleanup efforts by MSF empowered the local community, enabling health centres to operate independently and resume providing services on their own,” said Dr. Mustakim, Head of HEOC/Head of Aceh Tamiang DHO.
Médecins Sans Frontières activities in Indonesia are focused on building emergency response capacity through training and direct support when necessary. MSF first worked in Indonesia in 1995.
MSF arrived in Aceh Tamiang on 5 December 2025. Ivan Sinaga, the Head of Mission in Indonesia, recalled the conditions at the time, “The city was dark because there was no electricity and there’s no mobile coverage. It was basically covered in thick mud.” Seventeen out of 19 health facilities, including 12 primary healthcare centres in Aceh Tamiang, were no longer functional after floods and heavy mud covered it.
Syahri, Head of Post in Pengidam Village, recounted how quickly the water rose, reaching the height of 11 meters on the night of 26 November 2025. “We didn’t have any boat, so we used tires and jerrycans to evacuate to the higher ground in panic and darkness.” He added, “The flood receded two days later, leaving behind destroyed homes and mud. The mud even covered rooftops.”
Although the flood had subsided, MSF sustained and scaled up its response operations until the end of January 2026:
Another major problem emerged as the flood receded: mud up to one-meter-thick burying homes and public facilities.
Aside from direct medical services, MSF also supported the operation of the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) under the DHO of Aceh Tamiang. These include the supply of power sources (generators), Starlink internet connectivity, as well as operational support and data collection.
“The rehabilitation and cleanup efforts by MSF empowered the local community, enabling health centres to operate independently and resume providing services on their own,” said Dr. Mustakim, Head of HEOC/Head of Aceh Tamiang DHO.
Médecins Sans Frontières activities in Indonesia are focused on building emergency response capacity through training and direct support when necessary. MSF first worked in Indonesia in 1995.