Residents of Lesten Village Weep in Isolation, Disaster Aid Insufficient to Last a Day

 Flash floods in Sumatra, Indonesia

Residents of Lesten Village Weep in Isolation, Disaster Aid Insufficient to Last a Day

Heartbreaking cries echoed through Lesten Village, a remote area in Pining Subdistrict, Gayo Lues Regency, as disaster-affected residents realized that the assistance they received was far from adequate. A total of 97 households received only emergency aid consisting of two cans of sardines and two packs of instant noodles per family—an amount that is not even enough to meet one day’s food needs.

“We’re not asking for much, we just want to be able to eat,” said a mother in a trembling voice. On worn tarpaulins serving as temporary shelter floors, mothers were seen rationing food in extremely small portions. Children could only watch as their parents struggled to make the little food available last for several meals. Silence fell over the area as residents came to terms with the contents of the aid they received, turning into a collective grief.

Lesten Village is known as one of the most isolated areas in Gayo Lues. Extremely limited road access, compounded by post-disaster conditions, has severely hampered the distribution of logistics. Jasad, a local resident, revealed that much of the aid is still stuck at a relief post in Uring Village.

“All the aid is held there. We feel forgotten, even though we are the most affected,” he asserted. The relief post is located approximately 60 kilometers from Lesten Village, across difficult and rugged terrain.

This situation highlights serious inequality in the disaster aid distribution system. Areas that are easier to reach tend to receive assistance more quickly, while isolated villages like Lesten must wait longer while enduring severe shortages.

Local community leaders believe that what the residents of Lesten Village are experiencing is a grim reflection of disaster response in remote regions. The lack of aid is not merely a logistical issue, but also a matter of justice and genuine concern for the most vulnerable communities.

The events in Lesten serve as a reminder that disasters not only damage the natural environment but also expose long-neglected inequalities in development. Two cans of sardines have now become a stark symbol of the wide gap between policies on paper and realities on the ground.

Residents hope their cries will serve as a humanitarian alarm, compelling the government to be truly present—not merely through statistical reports and ceremonial aid distributions.

(Rauf Ariga)