BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — Two decades after a devastating tsunami reshaped her life and her community, Tria Asnani continues to feel the weight of the memories, mourning the loss of her mother during that tragic event. Now a school teacher, Asnani was just 17 years old when the tsunami struck. Her father, a fisherman, also vanished on that fateful day, leaving her without any understanding of how she managed to survive. She recalls, “I cannot swim. I could only rely on dhikr (Islamic prayer).”
On December 26, 2004, a powerful earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale triggered a tsunami that resulted in the deaths of approximately 230,000 individuals across various countries, even reaching East Africa. Indonesia’s Aceh province, situated nearest to the epicenter, bore the heaviest losses, suffering more than half of the total fatalities as reported.
The areas most affected included Aceh Besar and Banda Aceh, as documented by the Aceh Disaster Management Agency. Asnani’s village, Lampuuk, a coastal community known for its picturesque sandy beaches and clear waters, was ravaged, subjected to waves soaring over 30 meters (98 feet) that transformed the landscape and caused significant land subsidence following the earthquake. The only structure left intact among the debris was the Rahmatullah Mosque, located 500 meters (1,600 feet) from the shore, which became a symbol of resilience in the aftermath of the disaster.
In the wake of the tsunami, people like Asnani were forced to relocate and rebuild their lives. She moved to a different region in Aceh with her uncle to continue her education. After marrying, she returned to a newly rebuilt home in 2007, which was made possible with support from the Turkish government, where she lived for a decade. International organizations and donors contributed substantial funding to reconstruct the devastated areas, leading to the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure, even making them stronger than before the disaster.
Reports from the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center at Syiah Kuala University indicated more than 1,400 schools were damaged, disrupting the education of around 150,000 students. In response to the ongoing risk of tsunamis, three “escape buildings” were erected in safer locations to be used as shelters for thousands during potential emergencies.
Today, the legacy of the tsunami remains palpable across Aceh province. The Aceh Tsunami Museum in Banda Aceh showcases haunting images and remnants of the disaster. A former floating diesel power plant that was swept miles inland by the waves has also been repurposed into a memorial site, drawing many visitors as a poignant reminder of the calamity.
Despite the memorials, development continues along the Aceh coast. Twenty years later, the area is flourishing with housing, cafes, restaurants, and tourism infrastructure, while some hills face mining activities for sand and stone. Fazli, who leads the Preparedness unit at the Aceh Disaster Management Agency, highlighted that initially, no development was allowed within a kilometer (0.6 miles) of the coastline. Nonetheless, many displaced fishermen have returned to their coastal communities, drawn back by their previous lives despite alternative housing provided.
Fazli emphasized efforts to inform the local population about tsunami preparedness, noting, “People already know what to do.” Yet sociologist Siti Ikramatoun cautioned that while those who experienced the tsunami may have a sense of awareness, others who did not live through it might be at risk of not knowing how to react.
Every year, various communities across Aceh hold commemorative events to honor the memories of the tsunami. In Banda Aceh, local art groups organize theatrical and musical performances in early December, fostering disaster awareness in a way that’s accessible to all, including younger generations born after the event. Muslina, a civil servant, took her youngest son to the Aceh Tsunami Museum for one such event. Having lost multiple relatives, she feels a strong responsibility to keep their memory alive.
Reflecting on her son’s curiosity about future tsunamis, she stated, “Earlier my son asked me if there might be another tsunami when he grows up. I told him I do not know. Only God knows, but if there is a strong earthquake and the seawater recedes, we run, run, run to find higher ground.”