Sumatra floods - BNPB begins building temporary housing in N Tapanuli

hartono · Dec 22, 2025

Construction workers building temporary housing in Sibalanga Village, Adiankoting Sub-district, North Tapanuli District, North Sumatra on Thursday (December 18, 2025). ANTARA/HO-BNPB/am/rst

Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia has begun building temporary housing for residents displaced by floods and landslides in North Tapanuli, North Sumatra, as authorities accelerate post-disaster recovery efforts and prepare longer-term resettlement plans.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said construction started on Friday, December 19, in Sibalanga Julu hamlet, Adiankoting sub-district, an area badly affected by recent disasters.

BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center head Abdul Muhari told reporters on Monday that the first phase includes 40 temporary housing units built on four hectares of land provided by the local government.

As of Sunday, December 21, land clearing had been completed, while one housing unit had reached about 75 percent completion, indicating steady early progress, Muhari said.

He explained that the shelters are being built using a “growing house” concept, designed to allow future expansion into permanent homes once conditions permit.

Under the plan, each family will be allocated a 6-by-6 meter plot, with a 4-by-6 meter building constructed using Healthy and Safe Instant Home, or RISHAM, technology.

Each unit includes one bedroom, a main living area and a bathroom, and is equipped with a septic tank and a reinforced concrete frame to improve safety and durability.

BNPB aims to complete the first phase of temporary housing within five weeks, enabling disaster-affected residents to move in by January 2026.

Beyond the temporary shelters, the government is preparing to launch a major permanent housing program for communities hit by floods and landslides in several provinces.

Groundbreaking is planned for 2,600 permanent housing units across three disaster-affected regions, as part of a coordinated national recovery effort.

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said on Friday that the permanent housing program is being led by Housing and Settlement Areas Minister Maruarar Sirait, in collaboration with several foundations.

Of the total, 1,000 permanent houses will be built in North Sumatra, 600 in West Sumatra and another 1,000 in Aceh, according to the government’s allocation plan.

Authorities stressed that all permanent housing sites must meet strict criteria, including clear legal status, technical safety from future disasters and long-term socio-economic feasibility for residents.