Provincial Road in Agam Collapses, Cutting Off Access to Bukittinggi

A provincial road connecting Padang Koto Gadang in Palembayan District, Agam Regency, to Bukittinggi has been cut off for four-wheeled vehicles after a section of the road collapsed due to heavy rain on Wednesday afternoon. Agam Police Chief AKBP Muari stated that the damage occurred in the Labuah Sampiak area, Jorong Gunggun, Nagari Salareh Aia, Palembayan District, at around 11.00 WIB. “The road surface has collapsed to a depth of 15 metres, and with a hillside on the other side, it is impassable for four-wheeled vehicles and can only be traversed by motorcycles,” he said. According to Muari, the stretch is a main route linking Padang Koto Gadang with several sub-districts in Agam and the city of Bukittinggi. He urged the public to monitor the latest situation before travelling through the area. Furthermore, the alternative district road connecting Koto Alam, Palembayan District, to Lubuk Basung via Batu Kambing, Ampek Nagari District, is also currently impassable for four-wheeled vehicles. “For now, there is no alternative route, because the ring road at Batu Kambing is also inaccessible to cars,” he added. The police have coordinated with the Agam Regency government to ensure repairs are carried out promptly, as both main access routes to Palembayan are now blocked. Muari added that the local government and residents will work to create drainage channels to reduce water flow that is eroding the road surface and triggering landslides on the surrounding cliffs. “The construction of drainage channels must be accelerated to prevent further erosion of the road embankment. As this is a provincial road, we have reported it to the West Sumatra Provincial Government so that an alternative route can be built immediately,” he said. Meanwhile, Salareh Aia Village Head Rizal Islami stated that the road collapse was triggered by heavy rain that began on Wednesday morning. “The road surface has been reduced to just a few metres after repeated collapses following the hydrometeorological disaster that struck the area in late November 2025,” he said. Rizal revealed that the location has suffered damage several times. The road previously collapsed due to flash floods in late November 2025, and a similar incident occurred in April 2026, leaving the road only about two metres wide before it was further eroded in the latest event.