Remembering the Aceh Tsunami: 20 Years of Reflection and Recovery

The tsunami leveled almost all buildings and brought ships ashore. (Photo Source: Dr. Guy Gelfenbaum, U.S. Geological Survey. )

The tsunami leveled almost all buildings and brought ships ashore. (Photo Source: Dr. Guy Gelfenbaum, U.S. Geological Survey).

Two decades have passed since the devastating tsunami struck Aceh on December 26, 2004. This disaster in ‘Serambi Makkah’ is the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. Over 200,000 lives were reported lost due to the event. Infrastructure and Aceh’s economy were destroyed. The tsunami, triggered by a major earthquake, also affected many countries.

On that morning of December 26, twenty years ago, Aceh was shaken by an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 07:59 WIB with the epicenter at coordinates 3.316 degrees North Latitude (LU) and 95.854 degrees East Longitude (BT). This earthquake was caused by the movement of the Indo-Australian plate subducting under the Eurasian plate in the Sunda Trench subduction zone. The Sumatran fault and the Investigator Fracture Zone (IFZ) also posed a potential for strong earthquakes in the Aceh region. The earthquake was followed by a massive tsunami, striking the coastal areas of Aceh in less than 30 minutes. The tsunami waves reached heights of up to 30 meters and moved at a speed of 360 kilometers per hour.

Source: Syamsidik et. al, 2017.

Source: Syamsidik et. al, 2017.

Besides hundreds of thousands of deaths, more than 600,000 people lost their homes. The impact of this tsunami was felt in neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and Somalia.

One of the tsunami warning signs is the receding of seawater along the coast. Some survivors even witnessed the beach drying up hundreds of meters, allowing them to see the seabed. It is recorded that 139,000 homes were damaged with a total loss estimated at IDR 73 trillion. The United Nations (UN) called the Aceh tsunami one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in modern history.

Humanitarian responses from around the world flowed in, including from the USA which sent the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and aid worth USD 400 million or IDR 6.4 trillion through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help with the reconstruction of Aceh.

Post-Disaster Recovery

Rahmatullah Mosque at Lampuuk

Rahmatullah Mosque at Lampu’uk. Photo Source: Dr. Guy Gelfenbaum, U.S. Geological Survey (Left) and TDMRC USK (Right).

Blang Padang

Blang Padang. Photo Source: Frans Delian (Museum Aceh Tsunami Collection (Left) and TDMRC USK (Right).

Baiturrahman Mosque. Photo Source: Frans Delian (Museum Aceh Tsunami Collection (Left) and TDMRC USK (Right).

After the earthquake and tsunami, the Indonesian government and the international community moved quickly to initiate recovery. The emergency response phase lasted from January to March 2005, focusing on rescuing victims and meeting basic needs.

During the rehabilitation phase, from April 2005 to December 2006, priorities were directed towards recovering basic infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, places of worship, and the economy.

Additionally, resolving legal issues such as land rights and the trauma recovery of victims were integral parts of this program. Subsequently, the reconstruction phase, which took place from 2007 to 2010, focused primarily on building homes for tsunami victims.

By 2005, as many as 3,200 housing units had been built, with a target of reaching 80,000 units. Facilities like the 146-kilometer national road from Banda Aceh to Calang were also revitalized with international aid, including from USAID.

Moreover, Indonesia began developing an early warning system for tsunamis, involving modern earthquake sensors and sea monitoring systems to reduce future risks. On October 30, 2006, the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) was established at Syiah Kuala University, inspired by the 2004 tsunami disaster. TDMRC’s success is marked by its recognition as the Center of Excellence in Science and Technology (PUI-PT) for Tsunami Mitigation in Indonesia.

20-Year Tsunami Commemoration

The main event commemorating two decades since the Aceh tsunami will be held at the Great Mosque of Baiturrahman in Banda Aceh on December 26, 2024.

The event will involve tsunami survivors as speakers, the screening of a documentary video, and a special Friday sermon. Additionally, there will be activities such as a grand pilgrimage, joint prayers, and the presentation “Aceh Thanks The World.”

The series of events to commemorate 20 years since the tsunami, organized by TDMRC since March 2024, includes hosting a Seminar Series, the 8th AIWEST-DR International Conference in conjunction with PIT-IABI, screenings of the documentary “Risalah Ombak Serambi Mekah” and the short film “Akan Ada Jalan”, disaster knowledge competition U-Dare Award 2024, training in Indian Ocean Tsunami Commemoration Crisis Management in cooperation with the US Embassy in Indonesia, and an international seminar in collaboration with BAPPEDA Aceh and BPBA, as well as producing an infographic book on Aceh’s development post-recovery from 2004-2024.

These activities involve various elements of society, government, and the international community.

In addition to the TDMRC, the Aceh Tsunami Museum also displays photos documenting post-tsunami aid, including contributions from several donor countries.

Furthermore, Rahmatullah Lampu’uk Mosque hosted a reflection event on the 20th anniversary of the tsunami, which was filled with lectures, joint prayers, and donations for orphans.

 

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