By Dr Aliza Weinman at 1 Feb 2005 - 07:12

At 0700 hrs, the Batavia weighed anchor and headed north to Pulau Raya. This island was one of the main suppliers of lobster, prawns, dried & fresh fish to the western coast of Aceh and had a vibrant trade relationship with the mainland. The island boasted 230-plus floating fish traps (bagans). Now, there are only four scattered traps floating here and there offshore, abandoned skeletons against the blue-green horizon.

The team split up to survey the coastal areas for villages and survivors. Rick’s crew headed to the island and found an area where a village had been washed away. As in the other areas we had seen previously, all that remained were foundations of houses and a few remnants of human civilization: a woman’s pink lace shirt, a dish, a woven basket, a small photo album… The album’s contents were mere distorted images of a happy family, precious memories on wet and weather-worn paper: laughing children, a wedding bed, a grandmother and grand-daughter sitting side-by-side... Everything else from the village had been washed away and was gone.

One house higher up on a hill appeared intact from the afar. On approach from the boat, we were certain we saw someone standing near the house with a buffalo grazing nearby. Once we got up there, however, there was no one to be found, and also no sign of the buffalo. Had it been our imaginations, or was there someone too frightened to come out? Closer inspection revealed that this home too was in shambles, lifted right off its foundation and laid to rest 6 or so meters away. Our minds shuddered to think that the tsunami could have reached that far up the hill – it seemed unimaginable -- but how else to explain what we saw? The interior was an eerie sight, with cabinets askew and cupboard doors flung open. A few photographs were tucked behind a piece of glass next to the unmade bed. A clock stood frozen in time.

Jane’s team went across to the mainland where we could see an encampment. Below the encampment was the destroyed wreckage of the town of Lho Kruet, which previously had just over 2,000 inhabitants. Approximately 150 meters of town has been washed into the sea and lies beneath the now-calm waters. The 250 survivors of that town have constructed a makeshift camp up on the hill. Having received a few heli drops, they have an adequate amount of food for the time being, though still lack some basic supplies. Among them were a few marines and one paramedic named Muhammed. He is treating people as best he can, but is short on supplies. One man in the camp has sustained a severe burn on his leg. A 6 year old child is suffering from episodic fevers over the past month and a poor appetite. We supplied them burn ointment, antibiotics, paracetamol, and antimalarial drugs in addition to bandages, vitamins, oral rehydration solutions and apples. They also requested mosquito netting, soap, and nails, which we provided.

Dr Aliza Weinman