Fishermen fear the ocean's power

INDRAMAYU, West Java: Fear of further tsunamis has made fishermen in the West Java towns of Cirebon and Indramayu reluctant to go out to sea.

"Now we spend more time at home. We're afraid to fish in deep waters, we don't want a tidal wave to harm us," said Samir, 40, of Indramayu. He said that fishermen from Cirebon and Indramayu had often ventured into the waters off Sumatra.

Some still go fishing but close to home, and only catch enough for their own tables. Others earn a living by selling salted fish. -- JP