How High Waves Damage Boats, Buildings in Yogyakarta Beaches

August 12, 2026 | 06:13 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - High waves struck the southern coast of Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, on Tuesday morning, August 11, 2026, a phenomenon expected to continue for the next few days.

The tidal wave, estimated by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geology Agency (BMKG) to have reached between 2.5 and 4.0 meters, prompted seawater to surge inland.

The surge even damaged vendors' stalls and fishing boats at Jungwok Beach, Baron Beach, and Gesing Harbor.

The sudden surge of seawater reaching vendors' stalls and residential areas sparked panic among local residents and tourists. Amateur video footage circulating on social media shows murky water spilling out into the shoreline and reaching the gazebos where people relax.

Some visitors were seen hurriedly packing their belongings and returning to their vehicles. Others ran away from the water in fear.

"The waves that came ashore damaged the merchant stalls in the Jungwok Beach area, including the wall structure," said Sunu Handoko Bayu Sagara, Coordinator of the Special Rescue Community Protection Unit for Operational Area I, on Tuesday.

Physical damage was also reported on a number of boats off western coasts of Gunungkidul, such as in the Gesing Harbor and Baron Beach areas. High waves struck a row of fishing boats, causing damage and dragging the moored vessels.

"The impact damaged boats at Gesing Beach. We are still collecting the data," said Marjono, the Coordinator of the Special Rescue Community Protection Unit for Operational Area II for Baron Beach.

One such incident occurred to a fishing boat that got swept away by the backwaters of the waves and sank in the waters off Baron Beach. The boat was immediately towed and rescued by authorities.

According to Sunu, tidal surges are annual occurrences that coastal communities are accustomed to anticipating. He further explained that authorities had distributed hazard maps and educational advisories to the public and visitors through social media and direct outreach.

"We've been informed, and vendors have evacuated their businesses, so the impact isn't significant," Sunu added.

He explained that high waves had actually been observed since the beginning of the week, Monday, August 10, 2026, and were expected to continue fluctuating over the next few days. The peak wave on Tuesday morning was expected to reach four meters before gradually subsiding in the afternoon.

However, the potential for larger waves is predicted to occur again in the middle of this week. "From Thursday to Friday, the sea waves are expected to be even larger," he said.

Not only are merchants asked to be vigilant; fishers are also advised to move their boats to safety. "Therefore, when waves surge like today, we could minimize the impact," said Sunu.

He urged tourists to comply with the authorities' instructions and postpone water activities in open beach areas. According to Sunu, tourists have been warned of the high waves through cautions and educational videos uploaded on social media for the past few days.

Read: BMKG Warns of 2.5-4 Meter High Waves in North Sumatra

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