Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
Survivors in Aceh, Indonesia Speak Out 20 Years After 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
TaiwanPlus News
Follow
8 months ago
Twenty years after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami left over 220,000 people dead, residents of Aceh, Indonesia, say the country's disaster preparedness has made strides, but still has a long way to go.
Category
đ
News
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
Twenty years after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, Marziani still wonders if she
00:08
could have done more to save her husband and two children.
00:30
On the morning of December 26, 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 underwater earthquake rattled
00:47
Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that spread outward across the Indian Ocean.
00:53
The UN estimates its waves killed over 220,000 people in 14 countries, including Thailand,
00:59
India, and Sri Lanka.
01:01
Indonesia in particular, the western province of Aceh, was by far the worst hit, with some
01:07
estimates saying 167,000 were killed and 650,000 were displaced.
01:17
The water swept thousands of bodies out to sea, and local and international agencies
01:21
Overwhelmed, we're forced to bury many people unidentified in mass graves.
01:45
Volunteers like Jarfudin found themselves covered in blood and mud, collecting bodies,
01:50
some missing limbs, and others crushed to death.
01:53
Twenty years later, he's still haunted by what he witnessed.
02:07
Indonesia, located on the Pacific Rim of fire and prone to seismic disasters, has faced
02:12
criticism for poor disaster preparedness.
02:17
In 2004, faulty sirens and inadequate evacuation routes led to tragic overcrowding in narrow
02:25
alleys where many people drowned.
02:28
Since then, the country's geophysics agency has made efforts to improve.
02:46
The agency's system alerts residents to earthquakes over magnitude 5, with sirens signaling tsunami
02:56
risks and regular emergency response training provided.
03:00
However, survivors of 2004 argue these measures fall short, citing congested escape routes,
03:06
poorly maintained roads, and rarely tested sirens, especially outside urban areas.
03:16
The mountains are not far away, so because of our lack of knowledge, there are many casualties.
03:28
There was a tsunami warning last year, but it's gone since then.
03:40
Twenty years on, the scars of the Indian Ocean tsunami remain, but so do the lessons.
03:45
Survivors hope that improved systems and awareness will save lives when the next disaster strikes.
03:51
Dolphin Chen and Bryn Thomas for Taiwan Plus.
Recommended
3:28
|
Up next
Analysis: What Appeals Court Tariff Decision Means for Taiwan
TaiwanPlus News
3 hours ago
1:37
20 years since the devastating 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami
Australian Community Media
8 months ago
2:43
Asia mourns tsunami dead 20 years on
AFP English
8 months ago
2:44
Thai Survivors of 2004 Tsunami Reflect on Loss, Recovery 20 Years On
TaiwanPlus News
8 months ago
1:00
Marking 20 years since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
euronews (in English)
8 months ago
1:32
19 Tahun Tsunami Aceh, Warga Gelar Doa Bersama Hingga Edukasi Tanggap Bencana
KompasTV
2 years ago
0:33
Ceremony in Thailand Marks 20th Anniversary of Deadly Tsunami
TaiwanPlus News
8 months ago
2:46
Tsunami memorials begin as Asia mourns disaster 20 years on
The Star
8 months ago
1:59
Aceh's miracle tsunami survivor's push for better early warning, 15 years on
KiniTV
6 years ago
1:02
281 dead as volcano-triggered tsunami hits Indonesia
rapplerdotcom
7 years ago
1:20
Survival surfing: Indonesians riding the waves to beat tsunami trauma
Agence France-Presse
6 years ago
1:10
Indonesia earthquake tsunami: hundreds killed
euronews (in English)
7 years ago
0:54
Massive earthquake strikes Indonesia killing dozens of people
IBTimesUK
8 years ago
0:40
People evacuate devastated Indonesia town fearing second tsunami
Agence France-Presse
7 years ago
21:36
Tsunami that brought tears to India in 2004
NewsNation
5 years ago
1:17
AWANI Tonight: Thousands mark 20 years since deadly tsunami
AWANI
8 months ago
1:00
Candlelight vigil in Thailand on tsunami's 20th anniversary
euronews (in English)
8 months ago
2:01
Tonga underwater volcano erupts, tsunami alerts flagged in Japan and Pacific islands | Oneindia News
Oneindia
4 years ago
2:24
Indonesia struggles with aftermath of Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami
South China Morning Post
7 years ago
6:00
Deadliest Tsunamis in History: Top 5 Most Terrifying Tsunamis EVER in World|Rare Footage & Aftermath
Oneindia
4 weeks ago
0:31
Watch: Video shows powerful tsunami hitting Palu city in Indonesia
Hindustan Times
7 years ago
3:23
Dilip Ghosh on Mahua Moitra : āĻ āĻŽāĻŋāϤ āĻļāĻžāĻšāĻā§ āύāĻŋā§ā§ āĻŦāĻŋāϤāϰā§āĻāĻŋāϤ āĻŽāύā§āϤāĻŦā§āϝ āĻŽāĻšā§ā§āĻžāϰ, āĻā§āώā§āĻ āĻāĻā§ā§ āĻĒāĻžāϞā§āĻāĻž āĻĻāĻŋāϞā§āύ āĻĻāĻŋāϞā§āĻĒ
Asianet News Bangla
4 hours ago
1:10
Zelenskyy seeks talks with Trump and European leaders to discuss slow progress of peace efforts
euronews (in English)
22 hours ago
1:20
'Broad support' to send European military instructors to Ukraine after a ceasefire, says Kallas
euronews (in English)
1 day ago
11:51
Latest news bulletin | August 29th, 2025 â Evening
euronews (in English)
1 day ago