Padang-Bukittinggi Paralyzed, Heavy Equipment Begins Work in Anai Valley

PADANG PANJANG, KOMPAS — Traffic access along the Padang-Bukittinggi national road in the Anai Valley area of West Sumatra remains cut off due to flash floods, or galodo. Heavy equipment has begun work to repair the river channel and create a foundation for road repairs.

On Sunday (30/11/2025) afternoon, the situation of the twin bridge near the border gate of Padang Panjang and Tanah Datar, which had previously been buried under debris from a flash flood, began to clear. One lane of the bridge can be used for emergency vehicle passage to the Lembah Anai area.

However, the Padang-Bukittinggi route is still not passable for vehicles. This is due to four points of road subsidence from the gate to the TWA Megamendung bathing area in Lembah Anai, caused by the erosion from the flash floods of the Batang Anai River and landslides.

The worst-hit area was around the bathing area in Nagari Singgalang, X Koto District, Tanah Datar. More than 100 meters of the road collapsed, making it completely impassable for vehicles. Furthermore, the bathing pools along the roadside were completely swept away by the galodo.

At the location, three excavators are in operation. The heavy machinery is repairing the course of the Batang Anai River, which has deviated towards the collapsed road. The officers are also conducting topographic measurements.

The Secretary of Padang Panjang City, Sonny Budaya Putra, stated that traffic access around the twin bridges in Silaing Bawah Village—the center of the flash flood on Thursday (27/11/2025)—has begun to open. However, access towards Padang in the Anai Valley has not yet been connected.

Sonny explained that the interrupted national road falls under the authority of the central government. On Saturday (29/11/2025), the National Road Implementation Center, along with members of the Indonesian House of Representatives, visited the location to monitor the disaster situation and road access.

"From the information we received, it is aimed that within two weeks access will be passable. Initially for small vehicles. This is very impactful for the people of Padang Panjang (towards Padang) and currently this is the only access," he said.

Separately, Roi (54), a resident of the 2 X 11 Kayu Tanam District, Padang Pariaman, hopes that the national road in Lembah Anai can soon be traversed. This is because his daughter attends one of the elementary schools in Padang Panjang.

From the information we received, we hope to be able to access it within two weeks.

Roi also hopes for a permanent solution to the damage of the national road in Lembah Anai due to flash floods. In May of last year, this route was also paralyzed due to debris flow from Mount Marapi.

"This water flow should be widened or repaired so that new water flows don't arise and damage the road again," he said.

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 Kelok 44 route in Agam is similarly affected.

The only alternative access is a detour to Lake Singkarak, namely from Padang-Sitinjau Lauik-Solok-Lake Singkarak-Padang Panjang-Bukittinggi.