Padang’s Batang Kuranji River Faces Severe Sedimentation After August Flood

Heavy rains caused flooding in Padang on 3 August 2026, inundating neighborhoods and depositing large amounts of sediment in the Batang Kuranji River. By 6 August, officials observed that the riverbed near the Gunung Nago dam was filled with stones, gravel and other flood‑borne material, reducing water depth to knee‑level in several spots.

Rifda Suriani, head of the West Sumatra Water Resources and Construction Agency, confirmed that the sedimentation is a direct result of the flood’s flow. The agency has deployed heavy equipment to dredge the most affected sections as an emergency measure ordered by the governor. However, the work remains limited to the worst‑hit points because of budget constraints and because overall river management falls under the Sumatra V River Basin Office, which cannot yet undertake a full normalization of all Padang waterways.