ACEH TENGAH | INDATANEWS.COM - Personnel from the Kebayakan Police Station (Polsek Kebayakan), under the Aceh Tengah District Police (Polres Aceh Tengah), on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, regulated traffic on the Takengon-Bintang Road in Lelabu Hamlet, Mendale Village, Kebayakan Subdistrict, Aceh Tengah. A renewed landslide had blocked part of the roadway.
Since 9:00 a.m. local time, police officers had been stationed at the affected location to safely direct two- and four-wheeled vehicles through the hazardous area. The measure was taken to prevent traffic congestion while ensuring the safety of road users passing through the section affected by the landslide.
Heavy rainfall in Kebayakan Subdistrict triggered the renewed landslide in the area. The earth and rocks that slid down subsequently covered part of the Takengon-Bintang Road, disrupting traffic in both directions, from Takengon toward Bintang and vice versa.
Police Monitor Traffic Flow
After receiving information about the renewed landslide, officers from Polsek Kebayakan immediately went to the scene to regulate traffic flow. Police instructed road users to pass through the narrowed section alternately while remaining alert to road conditions around the landslide site.
Traffic control was necessary because part of the roadway was temporarily covered with earth and debris. This significantly reduced the space available for vehicles. Without proper regulation, traffic could have become congested at the narrow section.
In addition to regulating traffic, officers also ensured that residents and road users did not remain for extended periods in the immediate vicinity of the hazardous area. The measure was intended to maintain traffic flow while reducing risks to people in the landslide-prone area.
Police also coordinated with the relevant authorities to accelerate the removal of material covering the roadway. The goal was to restore the Takengon-Bintang connection to full use for the public as quickly as possible.
ENSURING SMOOTH TRAFFIC FLOW: Polres Aceh Tengah Public Relations Chief AKP Rasimin explains that officers from Polsek Kebayakan and TNI personnel are at the scene to assist residents and ensure that activities along the Takengon-Bintang route can proceed safely. (PHOTO: Adli Safwan)
BPBD Deploys Bulldozer
Working together with the relevant authorities, the emergency response personnel subsequently cleared the landslide debris using a bulldozer belonging to the Aceh Tengah District Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). The heavy equipment facilitated the removal of earth that had blocked part of the roadway, allowing vehicles to pass through the route again.
Once the clearing operation began, the Takengon-Bintang Road was once again accessible to two- and four-wheeled vehicles. Although the traffic connection had reopened, personnel continued monitoring the situation and regulating traffic around the affected location to ensure the safety of road users.
Aceh Tengah Police Chief AKBP Muhamad Taufiq, S.I.K., M.H., through Public Relations Chief AKP Rasimin, said personnel had been mobilized to ensure that road users could pass through the route in an orderly and safe manner following the landslide.
"Officers from Polsek Kebayakan and the TNI were directly at the scene to regulate traffic and assist the community so that activities along the Takengon-Bintang route could safely resume," Rasimin said.
Rasimin emphasized that the presence of personnel at the scene was not solely intended to regulate traffic. Officers were also tasked with assisting residents in dealing with the aftermath of the disaster along the affected road section.
ASSISTING ROAD USERS THROUGH THE LANDSLIDE SITE: Officers from Polsek Kebayakan, under Polres Aceh Tengah, regulate traffic on the Takengon-Bintang Road in Lelabu Hamlet, Mendale Village, Kebayakan Subdistrict, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, after a renewed landslide blocked part of the roadway. (PHOTO: Adli Safwan)
Road Users Urged to Remain Cautious
Rasimin urged road users to remain particularly cautious when passing through the landslide-affected area. The appeal is especially important as rainfall remains heavy and ground conditions around the landslide site continue to require close monitoring.
Road users are also urged to follow the instructions of personnel while traveling along the Takengon-Bintang Road. Drivers should adjust their speed to road conditions, giving them sufficient time to respond to any possible renewed ground movement or additional landslide material coming down from the roadside.
Police and relevant authorities continue to monitor conditions in the area to prevent potential further landslides. Weather conditions and the condition of the terrain remain key concerns, as heavy rainfall can increase the risk of ground movement in areas that have already experienced landslides.
The deployment of Polsek Kebayakan personnel at the scene is part of the Polres Aceh Tengah's rapid response to the effects of the natural disaster. In addition to assisting with traffic management, police are ensuring that residents using the Takengon-Bintang connection continue to have safe and orderly access to the road.
Following the removal of the landslide material and the reopening of the roadway, community activities between Takengon and Bintang in both directions can resume. Nevertheless, road users are urged to continue prioritizing their safety and comply with all instructions issued by personnel in the affected area. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Adli Safwan | EDITOR: Fik Sagala