Devastating Footage: Indonesia Highway Collapses Into Massive Sinkhole Following Heavy Rainfall and Deforestation

A dramatic social media video shows a highway in West Sumatra, Indonesia collapsing section by section into a massive sinkhole. The catastrophic road failure, likely triggered by recent flash floods and landslides, created an enormous gap measuring 20-30 meters wide between the separated road ends.

The footage captures the terrifying moment when cracks began appearing on the asphalt surface, rapidly expanding as portions of the road gave way. Motorists and cyclists frantically attempted to escape, with some vehicles halting abruptly while others hurriedly turned around. According to a witness at the scene, "It is a miracle that nobody was injured." Within less than a minute, the entire highway section had collapsed, leaving behind a substantial crater filled with soil and debris.

The incident occurred at Jalan Pacuan Kuda in Bener Meriah, Aceh. Initial attempts to mitigate the situation included digging a small trench with a backhoe to help water drainage, but the underlying sand beneath the asphalt was too soft and easily washed away, ultimately causing the road's complete failure.

The area near Twin Bridges was completely severed by the landslide. One bystander recalled, "Nobody knew what was happening at first." The collapse followed torrential rainfall exceeding 500mm over just a few days, which saturated the slope. This excessive moisture destabilized the soil, leading to its collapse and resulting in mud flows that destroyed the asphalt overnight. The accumulated mud reaches approximately 1.5 meters in depth, and the remote location presents significant challenges for rescue operations and aid delivery.

Concurrently, heavy monsoon rains and Cyclone Senyar have devastated parts of Thailand, affecting approximately 3.2 million people across 12 provinces. Authorities have evacuated around 1 million residents from high-risk areas, according to The Guardian.

The United Nations reports, "At least 185 people have died, with 367 missing and over four million people impacted. More than 219,000 residents have been displaced as rivers burst their banks and low-lying coastal areas flooded."

While intense monsoon rainfall and an unusual tropical storm were the primary causes of Indonesia's deadly floods, deforestation has significantly exacerbated both flooding and landslides in the region. Indonesia ranks among the countries with the highest annual rates of forest loss globally. Mining operations, palm oil plantations, and widespread forest fires have decimated vast tracts of rainforest over the years. In 2024 alone, more than 240,000 hectares of primary forest were lost.

Kiki Taufik, who leads Greenpeace Indonesia's forest campaign, emphasized, "The massive change in forest cover is the main factor in the occurrence of flash floods."