Humanitarian Mission of Election Supervisory Agency Volunteers Amid Disaster |

Evacuate flood victims with simple equipment.

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When massive flooding hit much of Aceh, Rahmad lost contact with several of his staff. The flooding caused power outages and phone lines to be cut off. Without hesitation, Rahmad immediately prepared some food and prepared to brave the storm to reach isolated areas.

One of them was Awe Geutah Village, Peusangan Siblah Krueng District, Bireuen Regency, Aceh. Haikal, a staff member of the Bireuen Regency Bawaslu, lives there and has been out of contact for several days.

"I heard that the steel bridge connecting Peusangan Selatan District with Peusangan Siblah Krueng District has collapsed. I have absolutely no idea what the situation is like there," Rahmad said when contacted by phone on Monday, December 1, 2025.

Upon arriving at the Krueng Peusangan (Peusangan River) bridge, they saw a scene that looked like it had just been hit by a tsunami. Villages were destroyed, houses razed to the ground, and some parts only had remnants of what once stood there. The community, along with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and police, is evacuating flood victims.

"Upon arrival at the location, we coordinated with the village head and several volunteers. They were trying to cross the river using a makeshift crossing made only by two coconut tree trunks. We also coordinated the technical aspects of distributing basic necessities to isolated villages. They were distributing basic necessities using makeshift ropes," said Rahmad, who previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Al Muslim University in Bireuen.

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Flood victims there had not received aid since the first day of the flooding. When Rahmad arrived, five tons of aid supplies were on their way.

"If the food isn't distributed immediately, it's feared the flood victims will starve because all bridges to the sub-district are closed," Rahmad added.

Rahmad was finally able to meet with Haikal, who had fled to his parents' house. Haikal's house was no longer safe, with nearly three meters of water inundated.

During this visit, Rahmad helped the flood victims. One of them was Aisyah, an 80-year-old woman from Darul Aman Village, Peusangan Selatan District.

While returning from patrol with the Peusangan Sub-district Head, Siblah Krueng, and the Peusangan Police Chief, Rahmad saw an elderly woman accompanied by her two children. "When I asked them, the two young children said their parents were very weak," Rahmad explained.

There was no adequate evacuation equipment. Rahmad immediately searched for wood and then asked for a sarong to use as a stretcher.

Grandma Aisyah was eventually carried in a sarong and evacuated across hills and across a makeshift bridge made from two coconut trunks. The destination was a community health center (Puskesmas), which was quite far away. However, Rahmad, along with the police and local residents, avoided walking tens of kilometers to evacuate her because a car was available.

Ultimately, the woman was rescued and immediately received medical treatment. Rahmad never imagined that the plan to distribute basic food aid to Bawaslu staff would become an opportunity to help others in the midst of a disaster.[]

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