A flash flood struck parts of Solok Regency in West Sumatra on Monday evening, 21 September, killing one person, leaving another missing and damaging homes, government offices, vehicles and road infrastructure.
The flood hit Nagari Batang Barus in Gunung Talang District at around 19.30 WIB after heavy rainfall in Solok and surrounding areas. Floodwater carried mud and rocks into residential areas and the government complex in Arosuka.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), as of 18.45 WIB on Tuesday, 22 September, one person had died and another remained missing. One resident suffered serious injuries, while three others sustained minor injuries.
Nine families, or 32 people, were evacuated to temporary shelters at Solok Police Headquarters, the Deputy Regent’s official residence and the local Golkar Party office.
Flash Flood Damages Homes, Offices and Roads
The disaster caused damage across several parts of Arosuka. BNPB reported that around 100 homes were affected, while 21 cars and seven motorbikes were also impacted by the flood. Several vehicles, including lorries and a delivery box truck, were reportedly buried beneath flood material.
Government facilities in the Solok Regency administrative complex were among the areas badly affected. Buildings belonging to the Public Works and Spatial Planning Office, Health Office, Regional Finance Agency and other government departments were damaged, while equipment was swept away by the floodwater.
More recent BNPB data recorded two government offices as heavily damaged and nine others as lightly damaged. One health facility was also affected. A bridge along the main Arosuka route was washed away, temporarily cutting access between Padang and Solok.
The flood also left mud covering parts of the Padang-Solok road. Ilham Wahab, secretary of the West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency, said the mud reached around 60 to 70 centimetres in some areas.
“Jalan Padang-Solok depan kantor bupati putus total,” Ilham said, describing the condition of the road in front of the regent’s office.
Residents Continue to Seek Safety as Emergency Response Begins
The flooding also affected residents at the Ikhlas Ar Rahman Grand Mosque in Kayu Aro. According to a report by Kompas.com, around 30 worshippers were at the mosque for evening prayers when the sound of the approaching flood caused some to leave. Imam Erianto and around 20 worshippers continued the prayer before moving to the second floor as floodwater surrounded the building.
Erianto later moved his family and other residents to the upper floor, where they remained for more than an hour before being evacuated by a joint search and rescue team. The mosque itself remained standing despite being surrounded by mud, debris and vehicles carried by the flood.
Search and rescue teams continued looking for the missing resident while authorities cleared mud and debris from affected roads and buildings.
Police also established an evacuation centre at Solok Police Headquarters, with medical services and a field kitchen provided for affected residents.
The BNPB also sent emergency supplies from its Padang unit, including rice, food packages, cooking oil, canned food, blankets and drinking water.
Solok Declares 14-Day Emergency Response
The Solok Regency Government declared a disaster emergency response period for 14 days starting on 22 September. The decision followed a coordination meeting involving Regent Jon Firman Pandu, local government officials and the regional leadership forum.
According to ANTARA, the emergency status is intended to accelerate the handling of the flood’s impact, with authorities focusing on evacuations and a comprehensive assessment of infrastructure damage.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) said rainfall around Solok reached 94 millimetres per day, classified as heavy rain.
The agency said it had issued weather warnings at seven-day, three-day and hourly intervals before the flooding occurred, while warning that extreme weather remained possible in parts of West Sumatra in the following week.
