JalanJalan

Less than 4km west of Banda Aceh, lies the fishing township of Ulee Lheue. It used to be the port of Banda Aceh.

Along the new road from Banda Aceh to Ulee Lheue, we see scars of the dreadful Tsunami of the morning of 26/12/2004, such as this once stately house, which is left as it was that fateful day.

The owner and his 7 family members were carried away by the Tsunami and were never found.

A kilometer up the road towards the sea, we come to a mass grave, said to contain remains of 64,000 victims, buried in 3 layers. That number of people can easily fill up a big stadium. At the back, lie the ruins of a hospital complex.

I’m told this is the 2nd largest mass grave (with the largest containing 67,000 bodies). The dead are declared martyrs.

The main gate to the grave, with phrases expressing our subservience to God.

Pillars surround the compound, with the 99 names of Allah. In total 170,000 Indonesians lost their lives to the Tsunami, while more than 500,000 others were displaced.

A few hundred meters away, we come to ‘Zero Point Tsunami’.

In front of the sign, a huge vacant piece of real estate, where a crowded bustling township used to exist all the way to the sea, now no more. In just 15min on the morning of 26th Dec, 2004, everything (living or otherwise) was swept away.

Behind the sign, there is the old Baiturrahim Mosque, which used to be surrounded by houses. The Tsunami waves, at almost 30m high coming from the right, mowed down everything in its path. Even the top part of the mosque was destroyed, now faithfully reconstructed.

Silent witness to, arguably, the deadliest tsunami in history.

After the mosque, we cross a bridge where passenger boats going to scenic Pulau Weh dock. Beyond, there used to be fishing villages, but now we see just water. That part was also hard-hit by the Tsunami.

On the other side, where the original village of Ulee Lheue used to stand, are just flatland and water.

Amidst the ruins, rehabilitation work is still in progress.

Remnants of dwellings and boats still litter the place.

A newly-built rocky embankment helps to prevent erosion caused by the exposed beach. This spot used to be full of houses and coconut trees.

Only this brick tower survived the waves, which came in taller than the tower itself.

The original beach, packed with people and houses, is some 200m away to the left, now under the water.

To the right of the embankment, the ‘new’ lake becomes a playground.

I just can’t imagine, looking at the beautiful clear water now, how vicious the sea was that December morning. In just 15min, people, houses, cars, pets, livestocks, everything - located where the boats are below - were violently wiped out. Some were even carried all the way to Banda Aceh, 4km away.

Now it is a peaceful, scenic, touristy sort of place. The weather was similar to today’s when the Tsunami hit. Fine blue sky.

NGO spotting: Kuwait Red Crescent Society is doing its good deeds here.

We drive along a road, still under construction, built atop the old one, which was narrow.

New townships are everywhere, each with its new mosque.

But some remnants are still left untouched.

Entrance to a new housing area …

… funded by MDF. Which reminds me of a good friend, Mr Howard Yamaguchi, who’s doing great work for MDF - see his excellent blog HERE.

Another relic - 2nd-storey floor collapsed to the ground.

Along this road, we are at a beachfront, but pre-Tsunami, it was surrounded by villages and mangroves, with no sight of the sea far away. Now the sea is here.

Same here, and we are on a bridge. Note the damaged pillar. There used to be mangroves and fishing villages here too, now all gone.

More ruins of houses.

This used to be the pre-Tsunami port of Ulee Lheue. In fact this port served Banda Aceh. There was a huge power-generating vessel here, but was carried away by the waves 3km inland towards Banda Aceh.

NGO spotting.

More sad leftovers of ravaged houses.

Some survivors are still living in long-houses, meant to be temporary.

A brand new govt building.

Now, in Ulee Lheue and other coastal areas, this sign is ubiquitous.

Epilogue: Ulee Lheue, before and after. For orientation, Baiturrahim Mosque is at bottom-left, near the big T-junction. Just above it is the bridge where the boats to Pulau Weh moor.

Please continue at the next chapter …