Two Indonesian Red Crescent delegates currently in Brunei to attend the Southeast Asia Organisational Development Forum shared their views on Tsunami that struck Aceh in December 2004.
Mr Teuku (R) and Ms Zuchairiah speaking to the Bulletin
Mr Teuku Alaidinsyah said it was on Dec 26, 2004 at around 7.20am that 9.0 richter scale earthquake triggered 50-60 metre waves (or two coconut trees high) and destroyed two-third of Aceh, Malabu, Aceh Jaya and other districts.
Some 270,000 people died in the earthquake which also damaged the infrastructures. The Red Crescent and the Indonesian army were alerted and ordered to evacuate the corpses. On the second day, volunteers came from all over the world to help including naval ships from the US, Germany and France.
He said some 10,000 Red Crescents were involved and took six months in to evacuate and another two years for the rehabilitation. They came from 40 International Federation of Red Cross worldwide.
Meanwhile, Ms Zuchairiah Lukman, Banda Aceh sub-delegation said during the forum here in Brunei, they discussed and shared views on evacuation of corpses, rehabilitation, reconstruction, psycho-social or to treat traumatic victims and reunite parents and children.
At that time, there was a need for capacity building to rebuild Aceh in tackling problems and utilising resources. In 2005, a five-year programme was conducted in Aceh as they never experienced a disaster of such scale before.
This year is the final year and the closing will be held in Aceh as well and an assessment will be conducted around 21 districts. Volunteershave worked round the clock to provide clean water, health, medicines which were dispatched to the affected areas.
--Borneo Bulletin
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