Survivors relate grim stories after flood<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Langkat, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
The devastating flood in Langkat regency, North Sumatra, that
\nkilled more than 100 people, has ingrained sorrow into the hearts
\nof survivors.<\/p>\n
Adi Lukman, 27 and his wife Amanah, 25, could hardly come to
\nterms with the events that took their eldest daughter Sherly
\nPensil Pania away from them, as a flash flood struck the hilly
\narea where the family live in Bahorok, on Sunday night.<\/p>\n
The flood wrenched Sherly, 5, from her mother's grasp. As
\nAmanah watched the strong currents swept her child away. Sherly's
\nbody was found by the Search and Rescue Team (SAR) a day later.<\/p>\n
Amanah recounted that the flood had initiated in the lower
\nareas, due to rain on Sunday night. She had seen several houses
\nwere already inundated by water, but she believed that the water
\nwas not high and manageable.<\/p>\n
She said that her husband left the house to help a neighbor
\nfix his house's roof.<\/p>\n
But, water slowly seeped into Amanah's house. She remembers
\nwaking up her two children.<\/p>\n
"They wrapped their arms around me, I carried them as they
\nclung to my body. I was about to bring them out from our home...
\nSuddenly our house collapsed. It was hit by water and logs from
\nabove," said Amanah.<\/p>\n
Amanah said that they were trapped in the house as her leg had
\nbeen caught under a wooden log.<\/p>\n
"As I was about to free my leg Sherly was lost from my grasp.
\nShe cried help me mother, help me," said Amanah, weeping.<\/p>\n
On Monday, as her daughter's body was about to be buried
\nAmanah lost control, unable to contain her grief.<\/p>\n
"Forgive me, Sherly," she cried, while trying to hug her
\ndaughter's body, which was already wrapped in a white shroud.<\/p>\n
Sartik, 44, survived the flood after a six-hour fight against
\nthe strong currents and the dangers of the huge logs, which at
\nany moment might have pounded her body. She was finally found in
\na paddy field some 15 kilometers away from her house.<\/p>\n
Villagers first saw her staring into the sky, pinned under a
\nlog. She was tightly holding a gold bracelet.<\/p>\n
"The bracelet was the only belonging she had. She had not
\nwanted to sell it as she had bought it with great effort from
\nselling food," Darna, her son, told The Jakarta Post at the
\nlocation.
\n According to Darna his family had initially stayed in their
\nhouse when the flood swept the area. They were about to flee when
\na strong current tore them apart.<\/p>\n
Darna had managed to save himself by climbing into a cave --
\nusually used by tourists to enjoy Bukit Lawang's scenic views --
\nbut he was unable to rescue his mother.<\/p>\n
"That night, cries for help were repeatedly heard from people
\nwho had been carried away by the flood. After fighting the
\ncurrents for two hours I managed to reach a cave. By that time
\nmany had already sought refuge there," he said.<\/p>\n
Darna's father, the 48-years old Darno, was also found alive.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/survivors-relate-grim-stories-after-flood-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }