As we mark the 21st anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, UNDP and the Government of Japan share the stories of survivors so that their experiences are never forgotten, and communities continue to prepare for the unexpected. 

Interview conducted by UNDP in July 2024 

“When I was just 10 years old, our lives changed drastically on what should have been an ordinary Sunday. Our house was situated in a relatively high area, about 4 kilometres from the coast, and we always felt safe from the threat of disasters. However, on that day, a very strong earthquake suddenly shook our region with tremendous force. The tremors made the entire house shake, and fear enveloped us. 

About an hour after the earthquake, I saw many people running towards our house with pale, terrified faces, shouting in panic, ‘the sea water is rising, the sea water is rising!’ The atmosphere became increasingly tense as some cried and ran aimlessly, as if being chased by something invisible. Amidst this chaos, I noticed my aunt running while holding her young niece. With a sorrowful face, she tried to protect the little girl, who had tragically lost her mother to the tsunami. Witnessing my aunt’s distress and hearing the tragic story of her niece made me truly grasp the severity of the disaster we were facing. Initially, we thought the rising sea water was just due to ordinary flooding, but people explained that the water was massive and terrifying, with giant waves that destroyed everything in their path. 

The impact of the disaster was immense, shaking our lives to the core. In the aftermath, food and clean water were scarce, electricity was non-existent, and the grim news of the destruction of the city of Meulaboh from the earthquake reached us. As night fell, the tremors persisted, a relentless reminder of the catastrophe that had struck. I remember watching as countless refugees sought shelter on the porches of local residents’ homes, crowding together in a desperate search for safety.

For the first three days, aid did not arrive, and we had to make do with whatever food we had. The adults took on the responsibility of ensuring that everyone could eat and drink, managing the rations carefully. Fortunately, despite the crisis, everyone came together and shared resources, preventing any conflicts from arising. By the fourth day, our supplies were dwindling, and we were even forced to eat rotting food to survive. The children, including myself, felt the severity of the situation. Occasionally, helicopters would come, but they were reluctant to land for fear of being overwhelmed by desperate, frantic people. One day, a foreign journalist arrived with chocolates. All the children, me included, ran eagerly to get them. I ran barefoot and injured my feet in the scramble for the chocolates. We were extremely hungry and thirsty, while the adults carefully rationed the limited drinking water. Soon after, aid began arriving on helicopters, but supplies were dropped from the air, with the food often damaged upon landing. A week later, when the electricity was finally restored, we were able to see our situation on the television and understand what a tsunami was and what had happened. 

A few days later, my family and I decided to evacuate to the city of Medan using the available refugee transport. However, we encountered significant difficulties because the roads leading to Aceh were blocked. Our journey took us through several regions that had not been affected by the tsunami, making it a gruelling and challenging trip. Once we arrived in Medan, we stayed in a rented house for a month while we waited to return home and assess the damage. When we finally went back, I was deeply traumatized to see my school destroyed and covered in mud. The devastation was overwhelming. After the disaster, four elementary schools in our area were merged into one because so many students had died. Many children became orphans and were either taken in by their families or adopted. 

One day, I reunited with my elementary school friends and learned that they had continued their education in refugee tents for a year. Some of them still carry deep trauma from the experience. With our home and school in ruins, my family decided to remain in Medan longer and continue our schooling there. We returned to Medan on a Hercules plane (a military transport aircraft), and I will never forget the sight of the tsunami-affected areas, covered in black mud, and the horrific smell of decay and corpses. Those memories continue to be deeply traumatic for me. 

The tsunami also had a significant impact on the factory where my mother worked, which ceased operations until 2011. My mother had to stop working during that period. Fortunately, we received adequate economic aid and special assistance for tsunami victims, which helped us cope. My mother also started selling snacks to earn a living. 

In the aftermath of the tsunami, the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center was established by Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh. Education on disaster preparedness increased significantly, and disaster simulations are now held every few years to commemorate the tsunami. Residents are informed in advance about these simulations, ensuring they understand it is a drill and can participate effectively. Moreover, many of my friends received scholarships to study in Japan, focusing on fields related to tsunamis, such as hydrology. 

Many people living in coastal areas now are newcomers, as the original residents have relocated to higher ground or other cities in an attempt to avoid future disasters. Our family is no exception: we now choose to live in higher areas far from the coast. My husband and I have agreed that if a tsunami were to occur again, we would not return home but would immediately seek higher ground. We have prepared a backpack with essential documents wrapped in plastic that we can quickly grab if a disaster strikes.”

Read more testimonies and learn more about lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami here.