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Flooding in Aceh Spurs Warnings as Severe Weather Threatens

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Sunday, November 15, 2026

Flooding in Aceh Spurs Warnings as Severe Weather Threatens

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By Paul Harrison, Orbis Weather

Floods up to 1.5 meters deep have forced 350 households from their homes in Aceh Tamiang, as forecasters warn of heavy rain, landslides and dangerous seas across Aceh.

Floodwater up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) deep has displaced 350 households in Aceh Tamiang’s Bendahara district, where a river embankment has failed. Across the regency, Indonesia’s national disaster agency (BNPB) reported more than 5,000 people evacuated by Sunday morning, November 15, 2026. No deaths have been reported. Indonesia’s weather agency, BMKG, has warned of further heavy to very heavy rain in Aceh through at least November 17, driven partly by two tropical cyclone seeds in the Indian Ocean.

Embankment failure leaves Bendahara under water

The deepest flooding reported is in Bendahara district. Desa Balai has been flooded since November 12, with depths of 0.5 to 1.5 meters (1.6 to 5 feet), according to Insider Indonesia and kumparan on November 15. The 350 displaced households, about 1,500 people, come from Balai and neighboring Marlempang. Most have moved in with relatives on higher ground, Lampu Merah News reported.

A river embankment at Balai has given way. “Pak Bupati, tanggul kami jebol. Ini membutuhkan penanganan yang serius,” village head Darlian told the regent during his visit on Saturday, November 14 (“Mr. Regent, our embankment has broken. This needs serious handling”). Emergency work to close the breach at Marlempang has begun with the river basin authority (BWS), but strong currents have hampered it. The village head estimated the water could stay for up to four more days.

The flooding is not confined to Bendahara. Heavy rain from mid-week pushed the Tamiang River over its banks into homes, public buildings and farmland across eight districts, InfoAceh reported on November 15, citing BNPB.

Measure (BNPB, Sunday morning, Nov 15)

Figure

People affected

18,158 (5,785 households)

People evacuated

5,088 (1,423 households)

Homes flooded

About 885, worst in Bendahara and Rantau

Farmland and plantations flooded

158 ha (390 acres)

Districts affected

Tenggulun, Bandar Pusaka, Kejuruan Muda, Kota Kuala Simpang, Karang Baru, Rantau, Bendahara, Seruway

Deaths reported

None

Six road points in Tenggulun were cut off completely, and the Seruway-Rantau road and parts of national roads were briefly submerged. Earlier, on November 12, an overflowing drainage channel flooded about 100 homes in Desa Perdamaian, Kuala Simpang, forcing about 150 people to higher ground (BNPB, November 13). All figures are preliminary and may change as assessments continue.

BMKG warns of heavy rain, landslides and high waves

BMKG’s Sultan Iskandar Muda meteorological station in Banda Aceh warned of heavy to very heavy rain, with lightning and strong winds, in 10 of Aceh’s regencies and cities from November 14 to 16. Aceh Tamiang is among them. The station listed floods, landslides, flash floods and falling trees as possible hazards.

Warning (Nov 14 to 16)

Areas

Heavy to very heavy rain, lightning, strong winds

Aceh Tamiang, Aceh Tenggara, Aceh Timur, Gayo Lues, Aceh Singkil, Aceh Tengah, Bener Meriah, Bireuen, Nagan Raya, Subulussalam

Moderate rain, lightning, wind

Aceh Barat, Aceh Barat Daya, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Selatan, Aceh Utara, Banda Aceh, Langsa, Pidie, Pidie Jaya, Simeulue

Waves 2.5 to 4 m (8 to 13 ft)

Indian Ocean west of Aceh

Waves 1.25 to 2.5 m (4 to 8 ft)

Waters south of Simeulue; Aceh Singkil to Pulau Banyak; Aceh Besar to Meulaboh; Sabang to Banda Aceh; Aceh Barat Daya to Simeulue

A newer outlook issued on Sunday, November 15, extends the risk of heavy rain to November 17, with Aceh Tamiang again listed for heavy rain on November 15 and 17 (Masakini, November 15). “Sebagian besar wilayah Aceh saat ini berada pada periode puncak musim hujan,” said station head Cucu Kusmayancu on November 14 (“most of Aceh is now in the peak of the rainy season”), as reported by IDN Times.

BMKG linked the rain to tropical cyclone seed 92B in the Bay of Bengal, seed 96S in the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra, a Kelvin wave, and converging winds. Sea surface temperatures of 28 to 30°C (82 to 86°F) and humidity of up to 100 percent add moisture, according to Nukilan. Disway, citing BMKG, said 96S had a low chance of becoming a tropical cyclone within 48 to 72 hours.

Officials call for readiness and river works

Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, who heads the government’s recovery task force (Satgas PRR), asked regional leaders to prepare. He said regents and mayors in areas at risk “perlu diberi tahu” (need to be informed) and should be on alert “tanpa memicu kegaduhan dan keresahan masyarakat” (without causing panic and unrest among the public), Insider Indonesia and kumparan reported on November 15. A ministry team led by Imran visited Aceh Tamiang on November 14. “Tahap ini kami berharap minimal tanggul tertutup dulu,” Imran said (“At this stage we hope at least the embankment is closed first”), according to Lampu Merah News.

Aceh Tamiang Regent Armia Pahmi distributed food staples to displaced families on November 14. According to kumparan, he has prepared an emergency response status should the water spread. BPBD Aceh Tamiang, working with the army, police and volunteers, has set up evacuation tents, delivered aid and moved older people, pregnant women and children to safety (InfoAceh). The regent has also coordinated with BNPB head Kristomei Sianturi on proposals to dredge the Tamiang River, which InfoAceh says is heavily silted, and to run weather modification operations upstream.

A region still recovering

This is the second significant flood in Aceh Tamiang in about five weeks. On October 11 and 12, flooding reached up to 1.5 meters in places, 17 villages across eight districts were inundated, and 350 households were evacuated, the regency disaster agency said at the time (Acehonline, October 12). Antara notes that the regency is also still recovering from flash floods caused by Cyclone Senyar in November 2025.

Neighboring North Sumatra has also flooded. In Desa Sekoci, Besitang district, Langkat regency, an overflowing river affected 3,155 people on November 12, with water 0.7 to 2.5 meters deep, and 336 people were evacuated (BNPB, November 13). The regional AHA Centre reported on November 9 that BMKG had placed Aceh under a “Siaga” (alert) heavy-rain warning for November 9 to 12.

What residents should do

BMKG, BPBD Aceh Tamiang and local authorities are the authority on what to do, and any evacuation order should be followed immediately. BNPB urged residents to stay alert to further rises in water levels.

  • Follow BMKG warnings and BPBD updates, which can change within hours.
  • Avoid riverbanks, breached embankments and fast-flowing water, even when it looks shallow.
  • In hilly areas, watch for cracks, falling rocks or muddy water, which can signal a landslide.
  • Small boats and fishers should heed BMKG’s high-wave warnings off western Aceh.

Sources

About the Author

Paul Harrison — Founder & Publisher, Orbis Weather

Paul Harrison founded Orbis Weather in 2026 to make global weather and natural-hazard information easier to find, follow and understand. His coverage includes tropical cyclones, severe weather, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, volcanoes, wildfires, flooding and significant natural disasters worldwide.

View all articles by Paul Harrison → | Editorial Standards →

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