Indonesia Tsunami Disaster Remembered 10 Years Later

Dec. 26, 2014, marks the 10th anniversary of the devastating Indonesia tsunami that claimed the lives of 170,000 Indonesians and an additional 60,000 lives across 13 other countries. Today, survivors and relatives of those who perished on that tragic day come together for a moment of reflection.

Many have also took to Twitter to pay their respects:

10 years ago, a devastating #tsunami captured the world's attention. 10 years later, we still remember. #tsunami2004 http://ift.tt/1Bckg2z

— Canada Bridges (@CanadaBridges) December 26, 2014

I met brave Martunis who survived the South Asian #tsunami 10 years ago. I thank those who helped. @SavetheChildren http://ift.tt/1tkEGXW

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) December 26, 2014

We'll also look back at the horrific Indian Ocean #Tsunami 10 years ago today. They've come a long way. Then/now pics on #WorldNewsTonight

— Rob Marciano (@RobMarciano) December 26, 2014

In the early morning of December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean was hit with a 9.1 magnitude earthquake just 150 miles off the Indonesian island of Sumatra. This caused a shake in the seabed that created a 700-mile rupture in the ocean floor and spawning a colossal tidal wave that reached upwards of 30 meters when it slammed into the Sumatran coast.

Aceh province, located in Sumatra’s northern tip, was the hardest hit. Survivors recall that day when their lives were forever shattered by an instant furor of Mother Nature.

One survivor by the name of Fauziah recalls the day in vivid detail. She was at home with her five children when the earthquake occurred. When the Earth seized to shake, her oldest son went outside to check the damage but then quickly rushed back in and frantically yelled for everyone to make their way upstairs. Within seconds, the home was engulfed in black water. According to her:

“We thought it was the end, that judgment day had arrived.”

The massive wave sent a boat crashing through the house, though it was this very boat that ended up being the lifeline for the family. She along with her children and several neighbors were able to survive by climbing aboard and saving themselves from a watery grave. While Fauziah and all five of her children survived, her husband who was out on an errand never came back. Her mother and all her siblings have also perished.

Today, the boat that crashed through her home still remains lodged in her house, and it has become a tourist attraction. For Fauziah, it pains her to see visitors casually snap pictures and treat the site as a spectacle rather than as a memorial.

The 2004 Indonesian tsunami certainly won’t be the last of its kind. Scientists are certain that another one of equal or greater magnitude will strike the region again within the next several decades.

As for the Aceh province, the area has since been mostly rebuilt with new roads and shops. The region has also repopulated to 250,000, roughly the same figure before the disaster. For most, it’s life back to normal. Survivors, however, will forever have etched in their minds that day 10 years ago when the Indonesian tsunami devastated their land and took the lives and livelihood of so many inhabitants.

[photo credit: RNW]

Indonesia Tsunami Disaster Remembered 10 Years Later