Jakarta, March 6 -- Indonesia's post-disaster task force reported a sharp drop in the number of evacuees in Aceh and North Sumatra since the start of Ramadan, as authorities accelerate the construction of temporary shelters and distribute housing assistance to affected residents.

The Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) in Sumatra said on Friday that the total number of evacuees stood at 12,994 at the start of Ramadan.

Of that number, 12,144 people were in Aceh and 850 in North Sumatra, while West Sumatra recorded no evacuees living in tents.

As response measures intensified, the number continued to decline. The latest data on Thursday morning, March 5, showed 6,873 evacuees remaining...