PALEMBAYAN, Indonesia – Abdul Ghani, 57, has been tirelessly searching for his wife, Marsoni, after cyclone-induced floods and landslides devastated Sumatra island. The soft drink vendor has been walking through mud-laden streets, carrying a large photo of his missing wife, hoping for any sign of her.
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The couple, who lost their only child seven years ago, now face the unimaginable as six houses, including their own, were swept away in the floods. Ghani said, “Is she alive? I don’t think she is. But I hope they find her body, even if it’s just a piece of her hand.”
57-year-old Ghani has spent days trudging along the mud-laden roads of his town of Palembayan, looking everywhere for Marsoni, his wife of 25 years.
After the couple’s only child passed away seven years ago, Marsoni is all that he has left.https://t.co/U9HcnlxV61
— The Star (@staronline) December 2, 2025
The disaster has claimed 686 lives in Indonesia, with 476 more missing. More than a million people have been evacuated across North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh, where homes, roads, and power networks have been destroyed. Rescue teams continue to search through debris, often hindered by mud and blocked routes.
In North Sumatra, the hardest-hit province, roads remain buried or washed out, isolating many villages. Residents report losing everything, from homes to essential belongings. Junaida Pakpahan, a local resident, said, “We don’t know what to do. Please help us repair our home, just so we have somewhere to sleep at night.”
Seorang pria paruh baya tampak menangis di atas tumpukan tanah longsor.
Sambil menahan tubuhnya yang lelah, ia terus mencari putrinya yang sudah tiga hari menghilang.
Bapak tersebut terus menangis dan berdoa, berharap putrinya selamat. pic.twitter.com/ux5HvIZbWI
— inilahcom (@inilahdotcom) December 2, 2025
The disaster follows months of severe weather across Southeast Asia, including typhoons in the Philippines and Vietnam. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the need for effective government response to climate change and stronger local measures to prepare for extreme weather events.
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For Ghani and countless others, the focus is personal. He said through tears, “I had a wife, we loved each other. No house, no wife. Where do I go next?” Relief and recovery efforts are underway, but for many families, the loss is devastating and irreplaceable.