Heritage Sites Destroyed by Floods in Sumatra

Since late November 2025, extreme monsoon rains, intensified by deforestation resulting from logging and mining activities, have caused catastrophic floods and landslides across Sumatra, Indonesia.

The disaster has impacted Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces. As of December 15th, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has reported over 1,000 fatalities (1,022 according to the latest data). Additionally, the disaster has displaced over 1.2 million individuals and damaged over 1,200 public facilities, including 434 houses of worship. Cultural heritage sites have emerged as a significant vulnerability in this disaster.

The timeline of the disaster commenced on late November 2025. Initial floods and landslides primarily affected North Sumatra, resulting in 283 fatalities (e.g., Sibolga: 33 dead and 56 missing; Central Tapanuli: 47 dead and 51 missing). The peak occurred in early December: West Sumatra experienced 165 fatalities (e.g., 120 in Agam Regency flash floods; 30 at Padang Panjang landslide); Aceh: 156 dead, 1,614 injured, 116 missing, and 46,000 homes damaged.

By mid-December, roads (e.g., Tarutung-Sibolga buried under 3 meters of debris), bridges, power grids (150kV tower collapse), and 2,900 schools were destroyed, resulting in substantial economic losses in billions of dollars.​

Heritage Damage Details

The Indonesian Culture Minister reported initial surveys identifying 43 affected sites and museums by early December, which increased to approximately 70 by December 14. These sites and museums include district, provincial, and national assets such as mosques, churches, historic cemeteries, traditional houses, and museums. The damage ranges from light (inundation) to severe (debris flows and structural collapse). A budget of Rp1.5 billion (approximately $90,000 to $100,000 USD) has been allocated for debris removal, cleaning, minor repairs, and custodian assistance.​

The key documented sites damaged were:

• Aceh (34 sites, moderate-severe): Tomb of Sultan Ma’ruf Syah (flooded); Poteumeureuhom Mosque; Teungku Di Pucok Krueng Mosque; Toweren traditional house (submerged, severe); Loyang Ujung Karang site (landslide, severe); old tombs/mosques/traditional houses in Central Aceh.​
• North Sumatra (7 sites): Al-Osmani Mosque; Sri Alam Dunia Mosque; Bagas Godang Sipirok; Bagas Godang Muaratais (light-moderate flood/landslide damage).​
• West Sumatra (2+ sites): Rasuna Said’s residence (national hero, inundated); Sawahlunto-Teluk Bayur Railway Line (historic infrastructure, affected by floods and landslides).
• Other: Darul Mukhlisin Mosque obstructed by logs from rainforest inundation; broader repercussions on Islamic boarding schools and worship sites.​

Key Lessons for Heritage Disaster Risk Reduction

Sumatra serves as a case study illustrating the multifaceted (hydro-meteorological) threats posed to dispersed cultural assets within tropical deforestation zones. Effective upstream environmental governance, such as the revocation of over one million hectares of permits, is crucial in mitigating hazard intensity. Rapid, ministry-led inventories facilitate prioritized recovery efforts, while embedding heritage custodians in land-use planning ensures that post-disaster solutions are not siloed and address the root causes of the crisis. This situation underscores the importance of integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR) in World Heritage contexts, as advocated by UNESCO and ICOMOS.