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Sites in Aceh for remembering the 2004 tsunami
Fourteen years have passed since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami hit Aceh. There are five museums and monuments that honor those who died in the disaster.
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An Acehnese places a bouquet of flowers over the site of a mass grave during a commemoration for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Banda Aceh on Dec. 26, 2017. (JP/Hotli Simanjuntak)
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tsunami hit Aceh in 2004, affecting well over 200,000 people. Fourteen years later, Aceh has recovered and has built museums and monuments to remember the extraordinary natural disaster.
The following museums and monuments commemorate those who died in the tsunami, according to kompas.com.
1. Aceh Tsunami Museum
Visitors enter the museum through a dark and narrow corridor that has two tall walls of water that flank visitors, recreating the feeling of the 2004 tsunami and putting into perspective the magnitude of it.
Inside the museum is a room filled with photographs of Banda Aceh after it was hit by 30-meter waves. There are also rooms that show the names of the tsunami victims.
The museum, designed by Ridwan Kamil, who is now the governor of West Java, was inaugurated in 2008. Located on Jl. Iskandar Muda, Banca Aceh, the museum sits in the middle of Banda Aceh and is one of the leading tourist destinations in the city.
2. PLTD Apung
A 63-meter-long, 2,600-ton PLTD Apung (floating diesel-fueled power plant) was dragged by ocean waves around 5 kilometers from Ulee Lheue Beach when the tsunami hit. Now, the vessel sits in Punge Blang Cut village in Banda Aceh City.
This plant is also a memorial. In the vicinity of the ship, an educational park was built that is equipped with information and photos about the tsunami.
Read also: What to do when an earthquake strikes
3. Lampulo floating boat
An 18-meter-long fishing boat crashed when the tsunami hit Aceh and found itself stuck on top of a house. This boat was never moved, and is now a tourist attraction in Lampulo village, Kuta Alam district, Banda Aceh. This village was among the worst-affected areas.
The fishing boat was dragged 3 km before "landing" on the roof of the home of survivor and Lampulo Gampong resident Ibu Abasiah.
4. Thanks to the World Monument
The Thanks to the World Monument is located close to the Aceh Tsunami Museum. When the disaster struck, many people from various countries came to help, including NGOs, militaries and private companies.
This monument was built to thank the global volunteers. Located in Blang Padang Field, which was severely affected by the tsunami, the monument also contains information about the natural disaster.
5. Tsunami Monument
The Tsunami Monument in Lhok Aron village, West Aceh, was inaugurated in 2016. The monument, which is shaped like a tsunami, has a height of 7 meters and features the names of 603 villagers who fell victim to the tsunami. (liz/kes)
