Thousands of officers and volunteers are a source of hope for everyone waiting for news of their families. They no longer care about the condition of their houses, which were destroyed by the earthquake.
By
MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA, AGUIDO ADRI
·5 minutes read
AGUIDO ADRI
Asep Badar (45), a resident of Selaerih Village, Genjot Village, Cugenang, Cianjur Regency, awaits the evacuation of his daughter by SAR officers.
Asep Badar (45), a resident of Kampung Selaerih, Genjot village, Cugenang district, Cianjur regency, West Java, was feeling restless and uneasy. Occasionally, he sat down, then stood up, then walked in various directions. His mind was filled with confusion, thinking about the fate of his loved ones.
Until noon on Tuesday (22/11/2022), his daughter, Dede (21), had not been found by the search and rescue (SAR) team, which also included members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and volunteers. The terraced house, where Dede lived, collapsed due to an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 on Monday morning (21/11).
Asep looked weak and resigned even though there was hope for a miracle that his daughter could be found. He never stopped wiping his tears.
Several times he joined residents who witnessed the evacuation. Residents tried to calm him down. However, for a few moments he cried again.
“Only a few more days, she would give birth, maybe a week. Yesterday at 5 p.m., when I called her, she still answered," Asep said hoarsely sobbing, referring to Dede who was heavily pregnant.
He was unable to hold back his tears when the rescue team found his daughter's white prayer rug and mukena, a woman’s cloth for praying. He could only point and nod his head.
The earthquake on Monday jolted residents in Cianjur regency and surrounding areas. Many could not save themselves or their families, including Asep, who was unable to take his children out of the house when the earthquake occurred.
The rescue team worked together to dismantle the ruins of the buildings with hammers, hoes, crowbars and wire-cutting machines that require electricity. However, due to the earthquake, the electricity went out so the SAR team had to use generators.
About 30 meters from Asep's house, Yayan (40) burst into tears when his 7-year-old son was found by the rescue team under the rubble of a building. His crying did not stop when the child was put in a body bag and taken to the nearest mosque to be washed. In the RT 003 / RW 001 neighborhood in kampung Selaerih, there were four fatalities.
AGUIDO ADRI
A SAR officer carried the body of Yayan's son (40), at RT 03 RW 01, Selaerih Village, Genjot Village, Cugenang, Cianjur Regency, Tuesday (22/11/2022).
Meanwhile, at the RT 001 / RW 001 neighborhood evacuation camp, the medical team examined residents and children who were injured. Not far from the center, gentlemen prayed facing the four victims who were wrapped in cloth.
There were blank stares from the residents under the tent. Some of them shed tears, including Ipah (47). Her puffy eyes occasionally glanced at the men who were praying and then she immediately looked at a collapsed house.
It was not her house, but during the earthquake her daughter crossed the small road beside the house and became a victim. A SAR team was dismantling the ruins of the building, trying to find Ipah's daughter. "My daughter has not been found. She's six months pregnant," she said worriedly.
On Ipah's side, her son-in-law waited for the rescue officers to find his wife. "We hope to see you soon, good luck. Yesterday before the incident, my daughter went out. She walked in the alley next to the house and there was an earthquake. It happened just like that. The house was damaged, destroyed and my daughter," said Ipah, not continuing her sentence.
The earthquake in Cianjur killed 268 people and 151 residents are still missing.
Yus Adriari (39) also hoped, amidst anxiety, there would be good news about his family members. From the emergency tent at the Sayang Regional General Hospital, he hoped for good news from his village, Cijedil village, Cugenang district, which was devastated by the earthquake.
KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO
Police officers help residents evacuate goods from houses damaged by the earthquake in Cijedil Village, Cugenang District, Cianjur Regency, West Java, Tuesday (22/11/2022).
Yus' voice trembled when he told the chief of TNI Gen. Dudung Abdurachman, who visited patients at the hospital on Tuesday morning. He asked the TNI chief’s help to find his children, his wife and other family members.
"Help my wife and children, Pak. Until now, they have not been found. Our village is in Cijedil, Cugenang," he said in a trembling voice. Dudung held his hands and promised to look for Yus' family members.
“We have deployed officers at the disaster site. Hopefully there will be good news later," said Dudung.
Help my wife and children, Pak. Until now, they have not been found.
The Cugenang area is the focus of search for victims. At the evacuation camp, Dudung said that the TNI deployed around 2,000 personnel and prepared up to 14,000 other officers for various disaster mitigation needs.
These thousands of officers and volunteers are a source of hope for everyone waiting for news of their families. They no longer care about the condition of their houses, which were destroyed by the earthquake. They just wanted certainty about the fate of their family members and prayed that everything would be fine.
Evacuation conditions
Meanwhile, the condition of residents at evacuation camps is quite bad. In Longkewang village and Gasol village, for example, residents live in makeshift tents. Until Tuesday 2 p.m. there had been no aid at all. In fact, there are a number of infants and toddlers there. Tents erected by residents are also prone to collapse because they were made in a hurry.
“I really need [help]. There are many children. For us adults, there is no problem, but children need medicated oil, diapers and proper clothes. Food aid is also important, then medicine and tents," said Hadi (31), a refugee.
Until 6.30 p.m. it had been raining in the area affected by the earthquake in the hills, so the cold weather pierced the skin. For refugees living in emergency tents, such weather conditions make them uncomfortable.
“The condition is just like this. It is hot during the day in the tent and cold at night. We hope aid will come quickly. Tents and food," said Ella (58), a refugee from Longkewang village.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
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