by Cerita Hari Ini
Selasa, 12 Juni 2012
RUN THE WATER IS COMING
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T
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here is
this shout that still keeps ringing in my ears : “RUN THE WATER’S IS COMING!”
Sunday morning began hotter than usual. The sun was really
bright at just 7:50 a.m. At home I was enjoying my coffe and reading the local
dialy,Serambi Indonesia. Sunday is when young poeple head for Ulee Lhee
beach,only five kilometers from the town. After swimming they would usualy have
a picnic on the beach with food from home.
Suddenly my newspaper shook in my hands. The shaking became
increasingly stronger. I ran out of the house with my two younger siblings. We
shouted His name – La illaha illallah (There is no God but Allah). The quake
got stronger and we clutched on to one another. Water in the gutters shook and
spilled over.
The shouts grew louder amid the sound of a tree cracking,ready
to crash. Neighbours hugged one another, some crying. This lasted for several
minutes. It left cracked walls and pale faces. No one went into their homes. We
live about six kilometers from the beach.
Half an hour later another quake occurred and everyone was
hysterical, thought it was of a lesser strenght. I felt very worried. Quakes
are common in Aceh but not like the first one.
“Run! The water is coming!”
People were moving in all sorts of vehicles heading out of
town. Everyone was carrying a bundle of clothing ar rice. Screams and crying
infants filled the air.
I rushed home,there were other,lesser tremors and we remained
outside.
I ventured out at 11 a.m. God,the whole town ,every corner,was
a devastating ruin. I learnt later of the wave,the tsunami that maust have hit
the entire town of Banda Aceh,because there was no water left-just
black,knee-high,mud.
In the Lamteumen district near the beach,all homes had been
crushed by the wall of water. There were several bodies lodged between planks
of wood inside the houses.
It was all chaos. Everyone was in a state of picnic. Aceh’s
capital had been entirely destroyed,with dozens of bodies lying around the
front of Baiturrahman mosque,the town’s landmark and the pride of its
townspeople.
In just a few minutes thousands had lost their families. This
must. be what Judgment Day looks like,with hysterical screams and thousands of
people looking for their loved ones,everywhere.
I was absolutely sure that,these bodies included the youth who
would have been playing by the beach,fisherman,residents living up to at least
two kilometers away from the coast.
