Indonesian Quake Suvivors Traumatized, Struggling

This pile of rubble is all that is left of Jhony Bago's motorcycle shop in
Padang Indonesia.

Until last week it was a thriving business with many clients.

Now its destroyed by the massive earthquake which struck the region last
week.

The Bago family have no money to rebuild and no income.

While they feel lucky to have survived the quake ... they are deeply traumatized.


[Jhony Bago, Quake Survivor]:
"When the quake happened, it was very shocking. My wife was in the room behind the shop and my daughter was in the bathroom. I shouted to my wife and my daughter to get out of the house. Thank God they ran quickly because the house collapsed soon after."

His wife is so scared she now wears a motorcycle helmet most of the time in case the remains of the shop collapses.

[Yusmanely, Quake Survivor]:
"I'm so distressed. On one hand, I'm thinking about my life. On the other hand, I'm thinking about my daughter. She's so traumatised. Every night I recall the memory of the quake. What if my daughter got buried in the rubble? Even though we survived, every night I think like this."

Thousands of other people have been left homeless by the devastation.

Home for this family is now a makeshift tent on the side of busy road.

Existence is hand to mouth - taking each day as it comes.

Aerial shots show the physical effects of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake.


Mudslides appear regularly along this hillside - many of them will have swept away villages and their populations.

At ground level this starkly cracked road shows the force of the quake, splitting the land.

As the scale of the devastation becomes increasingly apparent - aid has started to be distributed.

Workers say rural areas are suffering the worst with the colossal damage blocking roads and hampering their efforts.

International rescue teams - this one from Switzerland - have started work searching wrecked buildings using sniffer dogs.

Thousands of people are thought to be still buried - but as hopes for their survival fade - rescuers are confronted with a race against time.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NTD
• News
• Indonsia
• Padang
• Earthquake
• Homeless
• Devastation