December 5, 2025 | 03:23 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Defense has received four units of double-cabin Scorpio Vigar vehicles from PT. Agrinas Pangan Nusantara. The vehicles will be used to distribute supplies to areas in Sumatra that are still isolated due to flooding and landslide damage.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General TNI Tri Budi Utomo, stated that the vehicles will be dispatched immediately to the three provinces in Sumatra affected by the disaster. However, the distribution is awaiting coordination with the Defense Ministry and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Task Force on the ground.
"We will coordinate first with the Task Force. Ideally, it will help the three affected areas," Tri Budi said at a press conference at the Defense Ministry office in Jakarta on Friday, December 5, 2025.
Tri Budi explained that the decision to use double-cabin vehicles was made due to the terrain in the disaster areas. He emphasized that the rear of the vehicle is prioritized for transporting aid materials. "This is a 4x4 vehicle. It can still maneuver in difficult areas, including muddy ones," he said.
Regarding the limited fuel supply in the affected areas, Tri Budi ensured that an adequate supply was available. According to him, fuel efficiency is also a consideration. "Vehicles definitely need fuel. The Task Force has prepared logistics, including fuel. With this fuel usage efficiency, its operations can be longer compared to fuel-consuming vehicles."
Tri Budi added that the Defense Ministry and TNI have sent various aid to the disaster areas. He mentioned that the provided aid includes communication infrastructure such as Starlink, communication devices, power generators, water mobilization tools, lifeboats (LCR), compressors, and dozens of tents.
Regarding food aid, he stated that the rations and family food sent reached 7,800 kilograms. The ministry, together with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), distributed 1,175 kilograms of necessities and around 1,000 boxes of instant noodles. As for health support, it consisted of 1,234.6 kilograms of medicine and medical equipment that were distributed to the affected areas.
"Various types of medicine that we have pushed, and also in cooperation with PMI, we have pushed medical equipment to those areas," he said.
The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency's (BNPB) Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, revealed that the death toll from floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra has reached 800, as of Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 16:00 local time.
"I report that as of this afternoon, the number of deaths has increased to 836," Abdul Muhari said in a virtual press conference on BNPB's YouTube channel, Thursday afternoon, December 4, 2025. The report also stated that 518 individuals were declared missing and 2,700 were injured.
BNPB detailed that in Aceh Province, the number of deaths reached 325, while 170 people are still missing. In North Sumatra, 311 individuals have been found dead, and 127 are missing. As for West Sumatra, 200 deaths have been recorded, and 221 individuals are still unaccounted for.
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