TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A video circulating on Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube [archive] claims to show a 10-meter-high tsunami on the coast of Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia, on July 1, 2026.
The video shows high waves on various beaches, crashing into tourists and damaging buildings. “High waves have just swept back to the coast of Gunungkidul and its surroundings today, July 1, 2026,” wrote the accounts circulating the content.
However, was it true that a tsunami occurred in Gunungkidul in early July 2026?
FACT CHECK
Tempo‘s Fact Check team verified the content using a reverse image search, comparing the narrative with credible information, and interviewing local government disaster management officials. The results showed that no tsunami occurred on the coast of Gunungkidul Regency.
Video Verification
A video posted shows high waves rolling off Kukup Beach in Gunungkidul. However, the Yogyakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency’s Operations Control Center (Pusdalops BPBD) confirmed that there was no tsunami on the coast in early July 2026.
“The video was edited and fabricated to reflect events in other locations. There was no tsunami on that date,” the Yogyakarta BPBD said in a written statement to Tempo via WhatsApp on Friday, July 3, 2026.
The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) urges the public to monitor the latest disaster situation via Pamor, the official mobile application of the Yogyakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD DI Yogyakarta).
At the 9:13 mark, the video shows a wooden bridge on the beach being swept away by waves. This incident occurred on the coast of East Tanjung Jabung Regency (East Tanjab), Jambi, in early 2025, as reported by Metrojambi.com.
At the time, the waves reached 2 meters above sea level in good weather. As a result, 22 houses in Air Hitam Laut, Sungai Jambat, and Sungai Cemara villages, Sadu District, were severely damaged.
Then, at the 11-minute mark, the video shows a truck overturning inside a ship due to high waves. In fact, the incident was not recorded in Gunungkidul, but on Kabaena Island, Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, as reported by Metro TV.
The report explains that the weather was clear that day when the KM Bontoharu departed from Bira Port, Bulukumba Regency, for Kabaena Island. However, midway through the journey, strong winds and high waves arose, rocking the ship and knocking over the truck, spilling its cargo.
The fact that there are no ferry crossings in Yogyakarta confirms that the clip did not occur in the waters of that special region.
Coastal Weather in Gunungkidul
According to the Instagram account of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency – Yogyakarta International Airport (BMKGYIA), from July 1-4, 2026, the dominant winds are predicted to be from the east to the south with speeds of 10-15 knots, which is considered moderate by the Beaufort standard.
Furthermore, wave heights in the waters of Kulonprogo, Bantul, Gunungkidul, and the Indian Ocean south of Yogyakarta are estimated to be between 2.5 and 4 meters.
Agus Fitriyanto H, the call sign for Pasopati 03, the Yogyakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Aju Post in Gunungkidul, explained that there were no tsunamis or high waves in the field in early July.
“From the 1st (to the 3rd), there were no high waves,” Agus told Tempo when contacted via WhatsApp message on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
CONCLUSION
Tempo‘s verification concluded that the narrative circulating in the video showing a 20-meter tsunami on the coast of Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is a false claim.
TEMPO FACT CHECK TEAM
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