Muhammad Ficry (Writing 5A)

The Tsunami Aceh

The Aceh Tsunami was the worst disaster I have ever seen. It took them all, no matter what they were and who they were. It took all the people who could not survive. Although I am still alive,but I was filled with anguish if remember that tragedy even until now because it already took my friends, my family, and my parent. My name is Wisnu. At that time, I was 13 years old and I will never forget when the Tsunami Aceh hit my village. I lived in Meulaboh, West Aceh, with my father, Husein, and my mother, Yanti. He was a salt-maker and sometimes a fisherman who always spent his time almost in beach. My mother was a houswife but she also worked at my neighbour’s house as a maid to help our family’s economy. And I was in the 2nd grade of junior high school. I was very happy. I never complained with everything I have or have-not and my parent were proud of me. We were a happy family but the Tsunami came and took them all from my life.
December 26th, 2004 was the date of Tsunami Aceh. It began with the earthquake first. A 9.3 magnitude earthquake hit northern Sumatra and maybe it was the most terrifying earthquake in the world because I saw everyting shaked and made me afraid. It happening on Sunday at 8 o’clock in the morning when everybody was preparing themselves before doing ther activity or maybe some of them had began, just like me and my parent. Unlike the other days, that day I felt something different, for example I was hard to let my father go to work, usually I accompanied him out of our house, then my mother cooked my favorite food of me for breakfast and I did not want to go to school earlier. I though those were like a sign for me because it became the last time to see them, my beloved parent.
I prepared myself before I went to school. It was already 6.30 AM, 90 minutes before the earthquake and I went to school. Actually, it was hard for me to separate with my parent. I didn’t know exactly what the feeling was. I studied at school as usual and my mother worked not longer after I left the house. My school location was in the high land. I could feel the shock clearly. The biggest earthquake hit my village and around Aceh. It was 8 o’clock AM and everybody came out of their house. My teacher asked me and all my friends to hide under the table to make us saved from the debris. When I hid, I thought about my father and my mother, were they all right? I hoped and prayed they would be alright. The earthquake was only 3 minutes but the effect was so huge. All the houses were broke and could not identify which belong to whom.
The earthquake made plaque under the sea moved and created a huge wave which called as Tsunami. The wave was 9 meters and hit some villages around it, including my village, Meulaboh. The wave did not flow like flood but it hit with the strong current. It took all the things around there, crushed the houses, the trees, and the people who could not get a help by others or themselves. At that time, I was very afraid because my father worked near the sea and my mother, I could imagine that she was very frightening. I hoped they both saved from the earthquake but from the Tsunami, I was not sure especially to my father. It made me very scared and I wished they would be fined.
I was very lucky because my school was not really shattered so I could save myself on the second floor when the Tsunami came. At the time, I could see all the situation on the second floor. Everything was covered by water and the debris after the earthquake was everywhere. I heard many people were yelling the name of God, “Allahu akbar” and there were also some of them who announced a call to prayer (Adzan) which meant they asked for protection of their God and it made me wanted to follow them.
The Tsunami was over but the effect was so real. I heard many people cried and saw many drip of tears. I was in hurried and run as fast as I could to go to my house and prayed it would not happened to me. But I could find my mother even to find my house. All the houses were flat to the ground but I kept triying to find her. I asked everybody in front of me, “Do you see my mother, Yanti? She uses housedress with batik design.” Nobody known her, but there was a rescuer and said to me, “Just a few people who save in this village and I am here to identify the victims. And I hope your mother is still alive.” I decided to help him identified the victims and I was shock when my mother’s corpse was found by myself. I cried as loud as I could to come all the feelings out from my heart. “Mom..why do you leave me like this? I do not want be alone. I do not know where is my father. Mom..please awake!!” But she did not hear me, she never heard me anymore. Her eyes close closely and I let her go.
Today is December 26th, 2010. It was already 6 years after the Tsunami Aceh but I can still feel it. I can not imagine that the Tsunami was also hit another countries near Aceh like Sri Langka, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Maladewa dan Thailand. There were so many victims of this disaster and the most is from Banda Aceh, Indonesia which were about 126.915 but totaly was never known. I have never met with my father anymore after the disaster. Day to day, week to week, month to month, and until 6 years I always come to the beach which my father works on, but I never find him. I do not know is he still alive or not. I hoped the best for him and also for my mother. Life must go on. I always keep it in my mind. Now, I work in a human institution as a volunteer. I was inspired by the rescuer who help each other. And I hope I can contribute more for everybody who need help.


NB: The datas which I wrote in this essay is taken from http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gempa_bumi_Samudra_Hindia_2004