The Padang-Bukittinggi Route Remains Paralyzed Due to Flash Floods

PADANG PANJANG, KOMPAS — Traffic on the Padang-Bukittinggi national road remains paralyzed due to flash floods or galodo in Padang Panjang City, West Sumatra, Saturday (11/29/2025). Several road sections in the Anai Valley area that were repaired due to the galodo of Mount Marapi last year have been cut off again.

On Saturday afternoon, while searching for victims, the joint team continued to work on clearing the debris left by the flash flood at the twin bridge on the Padang-Bukittinggi route in Silaing Bawah Village, West Padang Panjang District. One lane has begun to open, while the other lane remains buried under mud, stones, and wood approximately 2 meters thick.

Although one lane of the bridge is open to emergency vehicles, access to the Padang-Bukittinggi route remains cut off. The road leading to Padang in the Anai Valley area collapsed in several places due to landslides. The road had recently been repaired after collapsing during the Mount Marapi eruption.

"From this twin bridge to the Megamendung bathing area, there are four locations of landslides or fallen trees. The road has also been eroded by river water," said the Head of the Traffic Unit of the Padang Panjang Police, Assistant Commissioner Pifzen Finot, in Padang Panjang, Saturday.

In addition to the Padang-Bukittinggi route in the Anai Valley, the alternative route via Malalak is also impassable due to road subsidence and landslides. The same goes for the Kelok 44 route in Agam Regency. The only alternative access is a detour to Lake Singkarak, which is from Padang-Solok-Lake Singkarak-Padang Panjang-Bukittinggi.

Finot has not been able to estimate when the road will be passable. Officers are currently working to clear the debris left by the flash flood. He also urged drivers coming from Padang or Bukittinggi to switch to alternative routes via Lake Singkarak.

"We continue to strive to cooperate with the relevant agencies, but we cannot ensure when the route (Padang-Bukittinggi) in Lembah Anai will be passable," said Finot.

At the twin bridge, on Saturday afternoon, the joint Search and Rescue team was still working to evacuate the victims. Officers evacuated two body bags from a silver Innova car that had overturned and was buried in mud around the bridge.

Meanwhile, from a distance, dozens of residents observed the evacuation process. They were not only local residents whose family members were missing, but also individuals from various regions whose family members had lost contact and were last known to be in that location.

Flash floods at the twin bridges occurred on Thursday (26/11/2025) afternoon. The disaster was triggered by heavy rainfall that took place in the last week. The floodwaters came from a tributary that is the source of the Batang Anai River.

In addition to residential houses, around the twin bridge at the border of Padang Panjang and Tanah Datar, there are many stalls and prayer rooms. This location usually serves as a rest area or a shelter for travelers during rain when passing through the Lembah Anai area.

Based on data from the West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), as of Friday (28/11/2025) evening, there were a total of 7 fatalities and 3 injuries in the flash flood that occurred on Thursday (27/11/2025) afternoon. Among these numbers, not all were residents of Padang Panjang.

The Secretary of Silaing Bawah Village, Nurmiati Amin, in Padang Panjang, stated on Saturday that 36 residents of RT 20 living around the bridge have been reported missing by the local RT chairman and the community. "They have not been found and cannot be contacted," said Nurmiati.

Nurmiati explained that there are 25 houses that were swept away and 5 severely damaged due to flash floods in RT 20, which is located around the twin bridge on the national road Padang-Bukittinggi. In total, there are 202 residents living in RT 20.

The number of victims may be greater than the data from official reports. Pendi (44), a survivor, stated that the flash flood occurred on Thursday around 11:30 AM.

"There were many people at the location. Perhaps there were 30 riders stopped there. There were dozens of motorcycles and ten cars stopped at the site," said Pendi, who traveled by motorcycle from Pekanbaru to Padang Pariaman.