Once Battered by Thousands of Logs, Aceh Mosque Now Rises Again
Masjid Darul Mukhlisin in Aceh Tamiang once went viral for serving as a fortress that held back thousands of logs when flash floods struck the area.
The Darul Mukhlisin Islamic boarding school in Karang Baru, Aceh Tamiang, was transformed into a sea of mud and piled timber after a major flash flood hit the area on 27 November 2025. The mosque in Menang Gini village, Tanjung Karang, Aceh Tamiang presented a tragic sight, surrounded by vast expanses of enormous logs in the aftermath of the disaster.
According to local residents, the piles of logs arrived with the flood waters that battered settlements and public facilities. The large-diameter timber was swept downstream from upriver areas before finally coming to rest around the mosque, which stood in the path of the flood flow.
Amidst the fury of water and log debris, the As-Sunnah Mosque and Darul Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School remained standing firm. The buildings were credited as a "shield" that saved an entire village from more severe damage. The mosque belonging to Darul Mukhlisin was said to have successfully held back the flow of logs that could otherwise have struck the urban area, including the Aceh Tamiang Regional Hospital.
Local residents said: "All this timber was held back by this boarding school, sir. It became a fortress for the people here."
Despite the severe physical damage, it was confirmed that there were no casualties in the disaster. Evacuation was carried out before the flood reached its peak and before the logs swept through the buildings. A total of 213 students and 60 teaching staff were all evacuated in time, with none injured.
Nearly all of the boarding school's facilities suffered heavy damage, from classrooms, dormitories and offices to educational equipment, all rendered unusable.
The site has now been cleared of log piles, as shown in the latest documentation received by the Government Communication Agency (Bakom) as of 2 January 2026. The piles of logs no longer fill the mosque courtyard, although a number of logs can still be seen surrounding the mosque grounds, and layers of dried mud remain piled up around the site.
As a sign of its revival, the mosque has even held its first Tarawih prayers — a deeply meaningful moment for the students and residents of Aceh Tamiang.
The story of Masjid Darul Mukhlisin has become a symbol of resilience and recovery amidst disaster, attracting the attention of national figures including Anies Baswedan and entertainer Arie Untung, who highlighted this remarkable event.
The Darul Mukhlisin Islamic boarding school in Karang Baru, Aceh Tamiang, was transformed into a sea of mud and piled timber after a major flash flood hit the area on 27 November 2025. The mosque in Menang Gini village, Tanjung Karang, Aceh Tamiang presented a tragic sight, surrounded by vast expanses of enormous logs in the aftermath of the disaster.
According to local residents, the piles of logs arrived with the flood waters that battered settlements and public facilities. The large-diameter timber was swept downstream from upriver areas before finally coming to rest around the mosque, which stood in the path of the flood flow.
Amidst the fury of water and log debris, the As-Sunnah Mosque and Darul Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School remained standing firm. The buildings were credited as a "shield" that saved an entire village from more severe damage. The mosque belonging to Darul Mukhlisin was said to have successfully held back the flow of logs that could otherwise have struck the urban area, including the Aceh Tamiang Regional Hospital.
Local residents said: "All this timber was held back by this boarding school, sir. It became a fortress for the people here."
Despite the severe physical damage, it was confirmed that there were no casualties in the disaster. Evacuation was carried out before the flood reached its peak and before the logs swept through the buildings. A total of 213 students and 60 teaching staff were all evacuated in time, with none injured.
Nearly all of the boarding school's facilities suffered heavy damage, from classrooms, dormitories and offices to educational equipment, all rendered unusable.
The site has now been cleared of log piles, as shown in the latest documentation received by the Government Communication Agency (Bakom) as of 2 January 2026. The piles of logs no longer fill the mosque courtyard, although a number of logs can still be seen surrounding the mosque grounds, and layers of dried mud remain piled up around the site.
As a sign of its revival, the mosque has even held its first Tarawih prayers — a deeply meaningful moment for the students and residents of Aceh Tamiang.
The story of Masjid Darul Mukhlisin has become a symbol of resilience and recovery amidst disaster, attracting the attention of national figures including Anies Baswedan and entertainer Arie Untung, who highlighted this remarkable event.