The Invisible Tsunami Kids – by Robert Vanwey

A village off the coast of Sumatra, January 2, 2005 – photo by U.S. Navy Photographer 2nd Class Philip A. McDaniel (Public Domain)

When major natural disasters occur, the often forgotten victims are children. From a practical perspective, this is understandable. Children are rarely known outside their families or communities. They haven’t had a chance to do anything that would make it into the news or online. In many places, their presence is not recorded in official documents for some time after birth. They are largely invisible outside their tight-knit circles.

Typically, the death toll from major events tends to obscure the plight of survivors. Of course, there will be reports for some time about the destruction, the cost of subsequent rebuilding, and the efforts of volunteers. However, the modern public has become accustomed to moving away from old stories quickly. How often, for example, six months or a year later do people see stories about the devastation caused by disease, dirty water, or hunger?

Imagine, then, the plight of children who survived the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami, which claimed 250,000 lives. Studying them proves it – knowing anything about them is quite difficult. Difficult, but not entirely impossible.

At 07:58:53 on December 26, 2004 local time, an earthquake measuring 9.3 on the Richter scale occurred in Sichuan Province. moment magnitude There was a tremor in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Aceh in northern Indonesia. It created the largest seismic rift ever observed between the Myanmar and Indian plates, measuring approximately 1,200 kilometers to 1,300 kilometers (720 and 780 miles) long. The rift triggered a massive tsunami that swept across the region, killing people in Asian and African communities around the Indian Ocean and many tourists from around the world – a total of nearly 230,000 people. according to Satake KenjiJapanese seismologists said this was the most destructive tsunami in Japan’s history. recorded history.

Like many, I learned the news while celebrating Christmas. The earthquake occurred around 8pm Eastern Standard Time. At the time of writing, few know the extent of the devastation this will cause; this is just the beginning of a long and terrible time. The catastrophic wave took several hours to reach many shorelines, but despite the roughness, it arrived with tremendous energy.

Wave effect animation by Vasily V. Titov, Chief Scientist, NOAA Tsunami Research Center (Public Domain)

Although the Office of the United Nations Tsunami Special Envoy stated official death toll 229,866 people and there is reason to believe that many more died as a result of the incident. On the one hand, many places lack detailed statistics on the pre-disaster resident population.

Estimates of the death toll in these places are based on reports from villagers, but in some areas no one remained to provide information. For example, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, almost 12% of the population Missing, and in some places there are almost no survivors. For example, Malinge Island has just four sheds It was depressing that only a handful of people were left huddled together waiting for rescue. The men had no idea how many people had been killed or missing. Many small islands have experienced similar situations.

Survivors of the event subsequently faced considerable obstacles, some of which may have contributed to further deaths. A study focuses on earthquakes and tsunamis that affected Japan famous:

The long-term mortality risk from natural disasters is a major threat to improving resilience, but unfortunately, many countries have yet to establish authoritative certification and reliable monitoring systems.

A large portion of the 2004 tsunami-damaged area lacked post-disaster mortality monitoring. This is well documented Over the next few months, large numbers of people faced water shortages and rampant disease. Violence against resources also becomes an issue. There is no doubt that these problems caused more deaths, but no one can accurately explain them on a large scale.

Refugee children try to catch relief supplies dropped by an Australian military helicopter in a rice field in Lampaya outside Banda Aceh, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File; January 17, 2005)

In Aceh province alone, 5,270 children were orphaned by the earthquake and tsunami. One study showed that 63% of children suffer Moderate to severe post-traumatic stress disorder. The study found that the effects persisted and, in many cases, worsened five years after the incident. Only about two-thirds of people show such symptoms, which is a small miracle in itself. The situation faced by many children is appalling.

Lynn Stanier is a travel agent who volunteers to assist with recovery, describing her tenure Orphanage in Galle, Sri Lanka:

We were taken to an orphanage in Galle, one of the major cities, which was a huge shock to us. The crumbling old building was filled with a strong smell of urine, and there was no running water or electricity. There were babies and small children everywhere. Four or five people were lying on a small bed in a filthy area, screaming for food. Terrified young children raised their arms and cried, but no one comforted them.

Another helper, police forensic expert Peter Baines from Australia, initially traveled to Thailand to help identify bodies in the earthquake. His troops traveled there as part of an operation international aid efforts. He witnessed the tragedy of children losing their parents, prompting him to open his charity called: hands across the water. There are about 3,000 children at risk of orphaning where he works, and his organization has reunited 390 of them with their families.

Children who lack family protection become ripe targets for the most vicious of all – child traffickers. Especially in Aceh Province, where the death toll is high, the problem of human trafficking has become very serious. To combat this potential harm, UNICEF works Establish safe harbors and reopen schools as quickly as possible. Later analysis showed that trafficking was indeed not widely disseminatedperhaps because of UNICEF’s work and the difficulty of moving around to evade law enforcement. Still, many children spend months or even years in NGO- or state-run detention centers in the hope of finding their families.

Because many of the affected children grow up in poor countries with poor record-keeping, little is known about their experiences. However, some stories already exist.

Refugees wait for children in a classroom at Guegajah Primary School in Greater Aceh. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File; January 10, 2005)

One famous survivor is known as “Baby 81.” Jayarasa Abilash was just two months old when he was swept away by a wave in Sri Lanka. The number “81” shows how many only children rescuers have recovered. After Abhilash is rescued, his case becomes a roller coaster ride. Nine families believed he belonged to them, leaving his future in limbo for quite some time. To address this issue, the baby spent several months in an orphanage and DNA samples were collected and tested. Ultimately, this identifies his true family.

When he grew up, Abhilash told masluhumi news About his ordeal as a famous survivor. He described how his classmates teased him, calling him “Baby 81” or “Tsunami Baby” to his face. The government refused aid to his family, claiming Abhilash’s reputation would lead to him receiving aid from elsewhere. His neighbors became jealous and harassed his family to the point that they were forced to relocate.

Now, 20-year-old Abhilash is trying to get into college. He claims he has finally overcome the mental challenges he faced as a young man, but admits it took a long time.

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In an area of ​​Sumatra, a man named Adi is searching for children who have lost family members. he told The Guardian“We heard rumors that there might be a lot of children surviving in Buben, but without their parents, so we thought we’d go check it out.” Adi found six of them. He took them back to his hometown, where the children were paired to live with Adi and his relatives. Rahmat, the eldest of the children, said of Adi’s help:

The house is small and crowded, but it is our new home. I’m very happy here. This is better than [refugee] camp. Anyway, we have no choice. We are still lucky to have family willing to help us.

The whereabouts of the six children after 2005 are unknown.

** **

Intan Afriaty was nine years old when the tsunami struck. She was at home with her mother, aunt, sister and brother. Just as the ground beneath her feet shook, a neighbor came running over, shouting that “big water” was coming. Afriati’s family fled with others but were soon lost. She ultimately failed to escape the flood, which eventually caused her to lose consciousness. she point out:

When I woke up, I found myself in the middle of the water, clutching the body of a tsunami victim who was drifting with me. I was scared, but the only thought in my mind was to keep my head above water. I must survive.

Rescuers pulled her from the water and took her to a UNICEF shelter. Although she lost most of her family, UNICEF did reunite her with her mother about a month later. Today, she is a married mother of two, and the couple is expecting their third child.

Afriati with her husband and two children. Image source: UNICEF

The average person, that is, those who do not work in the field of disaster preparedness or relief, often feels that there is little they can do if a disaster strikes except provide financial or other support. This is absolutely untrue. As I know through my own nonprofit work, a lot of heartbreak can be alleviated by establishing sound strategies and infrastructure ahead of time.

While we don’t know what events will occur and where, the world is sufficiently interconnected that professional organizations can set up headquarters almost anywhere. Location is not the problem, money and manpower are. Most governments provide limited or no support to organizations until needed. By then, it will be too late. With funding so limited and enough funding difficult to come by, NGOs rely on people’s generosity in donating time or money.

If you’re moved by a function—whether it’s caring for children, ensuring disaster-affected communities have clean water or medicine, or anything else—you can help Now By finding groups working in and contributing to these areas. If you don’t have the financial resources to make a donation, there are many NGOs you can ask for assistance with a variety of tasks. Examples include website design or hosting, fundraising, social media support, and more.

Find an organization that does work that interests you, and do some research to confirm its authenticity. In many countries, NGOs must register and provide their official documents. Some states in the United States maintain databases of registered charities or nonprofit organizations. Similar sites Charity Navigator Evaluate the effectiveness of your financial giving based on multiple metrics. You can also search for news or other reports that mention them. Send an email inquiry directly for more information. Ask family, friends, or colleagues for references or advice.

Sadly, humanitarian work is not a priority in our consumer-driven culture. That is, until people face the chaos and plunder that comes with disaster. But each of us can change this mindset by applying our financial means or skills where they are needed most. And, if my experience is any indication, doing so can lead to some great friendships and a really fun way to spend your time.

See you on Wednesday.