Strong winds, rain damage tsunami refugee's tents

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Strong winds and heavy rain in Banda Aceh over the last two days has destroyed wooden houses and makeshift tents where tsunami victims have been living following the Dec. 26 disaster.

Ida, a 28-year-old resident in Tibang village in Syiah Kuala district, said on Monday that strong winds made people reluctant to go out from their houses.

"We couldn't sleep last night because our wooden house was being rocked by the wind. We're afraid it might fall down or fly away in the wind," Ida told The Jakarta Post.

Tibang residents were just starting to build their houses using timber planks after the tsunami ruined the village, which is located a kilometer from the beachfront.

In Ulee Patah village in Aceh Besar regency, some 15 houses belonging to refugees were destroyed by strong winds.

"Some of the houses are now crooked. If the wind gets any stronger, the wooden houses and or tents won't be able to stand it," said Sunandar, a 27-year-old resident of Ulee Patah village.

Strong winds also caused a house to be blown 10 meters from its original position.

Destroyed houses and tents forced some people in the area to return to refugee camps in Mata Ie and nearby areas, or back to their relatives houses.

"People are afraid that there will be injuries. So it's better to take shelter somewhere else," Sunandar said.

Alue Patah residents, who earlier numbered some 1,500 people, now number only 150. They had just returned to their hometown and had set up timber houses with the help of nongovernmental organizations.

Apart from strong winds and heavy rain, Banda Aceh was also hit by a strong aftershock measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale on Monday, AFP reported, prompting panic among the population.

Inhabitants rushed out of their homes and offices and gathered in the streets at 8:30 a.m., witnesses said.

The earthquake, was centered some 33 kilometers under the ocean floor some 153 kilometers west of Banda Aceh, the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.