A Flash Flood Hit Guci Tegal: A Tourism Disaster Before the High Season Started

Tegal is a city in Central Java, Indonesia. This region has attractive tourist attractions. One of them is the Guci Tourist Area. This area offers hot springs, waterfalls, and parks. Unfortunately, a flash flood hit Guci Tegal on December 20, 2025. This hazard has a great impact on the tourism industry in this area.

This flood caused significant damage to the hot springs. Moreover, it happens before the Christmas and New Year holidays. Thus, this flood decreased the number of visitors and resulted in significant financial losses for the tourism industry in Guci, Tegal.

About the Guci Tourist Area

Guci Tourist Area is well known for its hot springs and mountain resort. This area is located on the southern slope of Mount Slamet, Tegal. It sits at approximately 1,050 meters above sea level. Thus, Guci offers cool temperatures and fresh air. This tourist area also offers beautiful scenery.

Guci Hot Springs have several bathing pools. Each pool has several spouts pouring clear, odorless, hot water. Moreover, this area offers villas, a swimming pool, private hot pools, and a waterpark. Furthermore, many people believe that hot springs in Guci have healing properties.

The combination of the hot springs, beautiful scenery, and cool air attracts many people to visit this tourist area on the weekends and holidays. During the holidays, the number of tourists visiting Guci can reach 4,000 people in one day.

Unfortunately, Guci is prone to flash floods. The recent flash flood in December 2025 is proof of the high flood risks in the region. What makes Guci vulnerable to flash floods?

• Its Location: The mountainous area above Guci Hot Springs allows rainwater to flow quickly. Therefore, flash floods may occur easily in Guci or at the foot of Mount Slamet.

• High Rainfall: During the rainy season, Guci experiences high rainfall. The rainfall may get even higher during the peak of the rainy season. This condition typically will cause the Gung River near Guci Hot Springs to overflow.

• Damaged Environment: The development of the tourism and agricultural industries in Guci has caused deforestation and land use changes. Consequently, Guci loses its natural buffers, and huge flash floods easily occur.

A Flash Flood Hit Guci Tegal: What is the Impact

On December 20, Guci Hot Springs in Tegal was caught in flash flood. The flood hit this area from 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm. Before this flash flood occurred, this region experienced extreme heavy rain. Consequently, the Gung River overflowed, and a flash flood hit Guci Tegal.

This flood is the most destructive in many years. Thus, it is not surprising that Guci suffered from the great impact of this hazard.

1. Infrastructural Damage

The flood swept away numerous water pipes that supply hot springs to villas and hotels in Guci, Tegal. Consequently, those villas and hotels cannot temporarily provide private hot springs for their customers. 

2. Facility Damage

The sudden flood also destroyed several facilities in Guci hot springs. One of them is the Fountain 13. This facility has 13 spouts that pour into a bathing pool. The Fountain 13 was badly damaged. According to a report, the flood swept this facility away and caused it to disappear.

Another damaged facility is the Fountain 5. It is a bathing pool with 5 spouts. After the flood, people can’t enjoy the hot springs in this pool because rocks, mud, and debris covered it. Authorities may need a few weeks to recover this facility.

The flash flood in Guci also swept away a small bridge. Consequently, tourists can’t use this bridge to reach areas near Fountain 13. Moreover, several others are covered in mud and debris.

3. Economic Loses

After the flash flood, authorities closed Guci Hot Springs for a few days. Moreover, they sterilized Fountain 13 and Fountain 5 for at least a week to repair these facilities.

During the closure, the number of Guci visitors dropped significantly. Therefore, tourism service providers in this area suffered from financial losses. Furthermore, they also suffered financial losses from the damaged infrastructure. 

By December 28, authorities declared that Guci Hot Springs are safe for tourists. Thus, holidaymakers started to fill this tourist area again.

4. Environmental Impact

The flash flood has some environmental  impact on Guci Hot Springs. This hazard uprooted trees and brought them along the flow of the flood. This flood also covered the river and other areas in mud, rocks, and debris. Therefore, authorities and communities must clean them.

Guci Flash Flood Response and Recovery

After the flash flood swept Guci Hot Springs, the Disaster Management Agency worked with other government agencies to restore the damaged infrastructure and facilities in this area. Moreover, they also monitor the water level in the Gung River. Thus, visitors can safely enjoy the tourist attractions in Guci.

In addition, authorities also investigated the deforestation and land use changes around Guci. They conducted this investigation to find out how much contribution those factors had to the Guci flash flood.

Recently, a flash flood hit Guci Tegal. This flood swept the tourist area almost without warning. This incident is a great lesson for the government to have an effective flood warning system. Developing such a system is not difficult if the government purchases cell broadcast technology on smsbroadcaster.com.