Southeast Aceh, Aceh, Feb. 13 -- With a layer of cooling powder masking her face, Nadia pans for gold in Bener Berpapah Village, Southeast Aceh, Aceh. The middle-aged woman refuses to let the sweltering heat dampen her resolve to find a fortune.

The Alas River in the village has turned into a vital lifeline for the local community in the wake of devastating flash floods and landslides. The powerful currents that tore through in late November 2025 brought more than just rocks and mud; they also brought gold.

Both grief and hope washed over the villagers as they realized the very river that had destroyed homes had now become their temporary source of livelihood.

For the past month, local residents have shifted from farming to gold pannin...