Tegal, Indonesia – A popular tourist destination in Central Java is reeling from the aftermath of a flash flood that struck Saturday afternoon. The guci Tourism Area, known for its hot springs, sustained notable damage after heavy rainfall caused the Gung River too overflow, sweeping away infrastructure at the Pancuran 13 hot spring [[3]]. While authorities report no injuries, the area has been temporarily closed, impacting both visitors and local businesses.
Tegal, Indonesia – A flash flood swept through the popular Guci Tourism Area in Bumijawa District, Tegal Regency, on Saturday, December 20, causing significant damage to facilities but no reported injuries. The incident has temporarily closed a key attraction in the region, impacting both visitors and local businesses.
The flood struck the Pancuran 13 hot spring area during the afternoon, triggered by intense rainfall, according to Bergas Catursasi Penanggungan, the Daily Head of the Central Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). “Heavy rainfall caused the river to overflow and inundate the Guci Tourism Area. The location of the incident is the Pancuran 13 hot spring,” Penanggungan said in a written statement.
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The force of the water completely washed away a hot spring pool at Pancuran 13, and a small bridge in the area was also destroyed. The area is now covered in mud, sand, and rocks carried by the floodwaters, officials reported.
“As a result of the flash flood, the Pancuran 13 hot spring pool has been lost or eroded, a small bridge in the Pancuran 13 area is damaged or missing, and mud, sand, and rocks have covered parts of the tourist area,” Penanggungan stated.
Authorities have temporarily closed the Pancuran 13 area to the public and evacuated all visitors. No injuries to tourists or local residents have been reported, Penanggungan confirmed. “The Pancuran 13 area is temporarily closed. Visitors have been evacuated, and the location has been cleared of visitors,” he said. “Currently, the water has receded. There are no casualties, either visitors or residents.”
Tourist Area Manager Describes the Damage
Zami, the manager of Pancuran 13 Guci, said the heavy rain began around 11:30 a.m. local time and intensified significantly by 2:30 p.m., leading to the flash flood. The flood caused extensive damage to the popular Pancuran 13 and Pancuran 5 hot spring areas.
While no one was hurt, the damage is substantial, according to Zami. “The incident occurred around 3:00 p.m. Thankfully, there were no casualties, but the damage is quite severe,” Zami told reporters.
Zami described the area around Pancuran 13 as being covered in sand and boulders. The hot spring pool itself was completely eroded by the floodwaters, and a small pedestrian bridge was also swept away.
“I was heartbroken to see the extent of the damage. This is the first time we’ve experienced something like this, where the entire pool has been destroyed,” Zami said.
Due to the damage, the Pancuran 13 Guci hot spring is closed to the public, and all staff have been evacuated. The entrance to the area has been locked to prevent access. “It’s closed, both visitors and Pancuran 13 Guci staff have been evacuated from the area,” Zami explained.
(apu/apu)
