Earthquakes leave Nias children traumatized<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
After his hometown on Nias island was shattered by an earthquake,
\nlife is no longer the same for seven-year-old Alui Zalukhu.<\/p>\n
He has been at the Pirngadi hospital in Medan for over a week,
\nall alone. He was separated from his family when the 8.7-
\nmagnitude quake destroyed his house in Hombolate village in Afulu
\ndistrict. Three days after the quake, he had to be taken to Medan
\nbecause of his broken legs.<\/p>\n
But the quake left a scar on the boy's soul, giving him
\nnightmares, and causing him to wake up screaming almost every
\nnight.<\/p>\n
Amagamawa Gea, a 65-year-old Nias resident whose son is being
\ntreated next to Alui at the hospital, said the boy rarely talks,
\nusually not even responding to those wanting to talk to him. But
\nthe boy talked once about his parents.<\/p>\n
\"He's certain that his parents are still alive. He said his
\nfather's name is Obedi Zalukhu, but he couldn't remember the name
\nof his mother or sisters,\" said the resident of Tuhembeua, Nias.<\/p>\n
It was when the old man mentioned Alui's family that the boy
\nsuddenl spoke in Nias language. \"For sure, my parents are still
\nalive\", the boy said.<\/p>\n
Amagamawa said Alui was going through a very difficult time
\ndue to his injuries, his nightmares and loneliness.<\/p>\n
\"Poor kid. He must miss his parents so much. They still
\nhaven't come for him. As a fellow resident of Nias, I feel
\nobligated to look after him,\" Amagamawa said.<\/p>\n
The quake left many other children, like Alui, traumatized.<\/p>\n
Blessing Gulo, 6, and his sister Milka Gulo, 7, have been at
\nMedan hospitals for a week too. Blessing is being treated at
\nPirngadi hospital, while Milka is at Elisabeth hospital with
\ntheir mother, Lisma Jacobis.<\/p>\n
Their father, Yulianus Gulo, said the children were now
\nsleeping very restlessly. Every night after the quake, Blessing
\nhas had nightmares, he said.<\/p>\n
\"When he wakes up, he looks shocked. His temperature also
\nrises and then he cries for more than an hour,\" said Yulianus,
\nwho is staying with Blessing.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old church pastor from Gunung Sitoli said his
\ndaughter, Milka, was previously in a critical state, and could
\nnot even open her eyes for the first four days in the hospital.
\nOn her fifth day, she finally opened her eyes, but she rarely has
\nspoken.<\/p>\n
Yulianus said that at the time of the disaster, his house in
\nJl. Diponegoro in Gunung Sitoli collapsed onto his wife and two
\nchildren, while he was outside the house. Yulianus said that
\nMilka suffered more compared to her mother and brother.<\/p>\n
\"Milka was bleeding from the mouth, nose and ears. At the
\ntime, I was pessimistic that she would survive because of the
\ninjuries,\" he said.<\/p>\n
She was taken to a hospital in the North Sumatra town of
\nSibolga. \"But because the equipment at the hospital was
\ninadequate, she was sent here, to Medan,\" Yulianus said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/earthquakes-leave-nias-children-traumatized-1447893297",
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