Strengthening Disaster Awareness in Aceh

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI MASRY

Residents watch the photo documentation of the tsunami that was displayed at the 17th anniversary of the tsunami, Sunday (12/26/2021).

BANDA ACEH, KOMPAS—The 17th anniversary of the Aceh earthquake and tsunami was observed with residents holding communal prayers, visiting mass graves, and sharing reflections in order to step up disaster awareness.

The event was held on Sunday (12/26/2021) at Ulee Lheue Port in Banda Aceh. The stretch from the port to Baiturahman Grand Mosque was among the hardest hit by the tsunami in 2004.

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The catastrophic Aceh disaster is commemorated every year, not only as an occasion to pray for the victims, but also as an occasion to strengthen mitigation and preparedness, according to Aceh Governor Nova Iriansyah.

"The anniversary of the tsunami is commemorated to instill disaster awareness and resilience. We have to strengthen the mitigation system," he said.

People began to gather in the morning at the mass graves in Ulee Lheue and Blang Bintang, in Aceh Besar district, immersed in the solemn resonance of communal prayer. Flowers were scattered over the graves.

Among the visitors was West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil, who was the architect of the Tsunami Museum in Banda Aceh.

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Residents enjoy the sunset in the Ulee Lheue Beach area, Banda Aceh City, Sunday (12/1/2020). This area was once destroyed by the tsunami, but is now bustling again after it was opened as a tourist location.

Aceh governor Nova said the natural disaster that struck the country’s westernmost province on 26 Dec. 2004 should not be forgotten, and urged the people to gain knowledge on post-disaster mitigation.

Banda Aceh was worst hit by the tsunami.

A 9.3-magnitude earthquake was followed by a massive tsunami that devastated the coastline and swept inland, claiming at least 169,000 Indonesian lives. Banda Aceh was worst hit by the tsunami.

Nova lauded the resilience of the Acehnese people to get back on their feet following the tsunami, during which at least 53 countries extended aid to help rebuild the province.

On Sunday morning, the Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) sounded an alarm in a tsunami drill. "The aim is to increase the people's awareness that they live in a tsunami-hazard zone," Nova said.

Disaster education

BPBA head Ilyas said the agency was committed to disaster mitigation education through regular disaster drills at schools and villages, as well as conducting forums disaster on risk reduction in Aceh’s regencies and cities.

Syamsidik, a researcher at the Center for Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Studies at Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, said that the government could not prevent survivors from resettling in tsunami-affected areas for economic reasons.

He called on the government to continuously promote disaster mitigation education through the establishment of disaster education centers and infrastructure.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A resident with a cane walks along the edge of a pond in front of the Baiturrahman Mosque which is full of debris caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Banda Aceh, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province, Tuesday (28/12/2004).

"Disaster education is conducted off and on as yet, while the mitigation infrastructure remains inadequate," he said. (AIN)

(This article was translated by Musthofid)