Thousands Still Cut Off as Floods Paralyze East Aceh while 13 Bridges Destroyed

Aceh: Emergency teams in East Aceh are racing to reopen access to flood-hit areas after severe infrastructure damage left thousands of residents isolated. The regency’s disaster agency (BPBD) says collapsed bridges remain the biggest barrier to delivering aid by land.

BPBD East Aceh Chief Afifullah said joint teams are continuing rapid assessments while clearing routes to villages still cut off. Restoring ground access, he stressed, is crucial to speeding up aid delivery.

“The joint team is still assessing damage and opening emergency routes at several isolated points,” Afifullah said on Thursday, December 5.

Initial BPBD reports show at least 13 bridges across multiple districts have been heavily damaged or completely washed away, blocking all vehicle access. The affected areas span the districts of Nurussalam, Indra Makmur, Peudawa, Bireum Bayeun, Rantau Selamat, and Simpang Jernih.

The destruction has forced responders to rely on boats and risky hillside footpaths to reach stranded residents. Many villages remain accessible only by water or long detours on foot.

“Based on our initial data, 13 bridges are cut off and impassable. Teams are still updating the damage list because some locations are extremely difficult to reach,” Afifullah said.

“Our priority now is opening access so aid can move faster,” added Afifullah.

BPBD is coordinating with multiple agencies to set up temporary emergency bridges using any available materials while awaiting full repairs from central authorities.

Efforts to restore emergency access are essential to deliver food, clean water, medical aid, and shelter supplies to thousands of evacuees scattered across flood-affected areas in East Aceh.