Mrs. Marhamah's Story, West Lombok Flood Victim: Fear Of Returning Home, Remember The Sound Of Rumbling Water

Mrs. Marhamah's holding her child at the evacuation post in West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Tuesday, December 7 (Photo: Nur Imansyah/Antara)

JAKARTA - A number of residents who were victims of flash floods in North Batulayar Hamlet, West Batulayar Village, Batulayar District, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara are afraid to return home because they are still traumatized.

"It's just trauma, that's why I'm still afraid to return home," said Mrs. Marhamah when she met the refugee post in Batulayar Utara Hamlet, Batulayar Barat Village, West Lombok Regency, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, December 7.

The widow of four children admits that she still remembers the flash flood that occurred on Monday, December 6th. In fact, at night he admitted that she had trouble sleeping.

"At night I have trouble sleeping, because I remember the sound of the water roaring a lot. So we remember the earthquake in 2018," she said.

Marhamah said that when the flash flood hit her village, she and her children were inside the house. However, she and her children managed to save themselves after leaving the house.

Even so, she admitted that she could not save items such as clothes and other furniture. Because some have been swept away by the current.

"Alhamdulillah, my children and I were still able to survive. Only a lot of clothes could not be saved, not to mention that the house was still a mess because it was still filled with mud," said Marhamah, who works as a clothes washer.

For now, she and her four children have to live in a refugee post prepared by the local government. However, she does not know how long she will have to stay at the refugee camp.

"When I return home, I don't know how long it will take, because I am still traumatized," she said.

In line with Mrs. Marhamah, other residents also admitted that they were still traumatized by returning home.

"If you say we are traumatized, all of us at the refugee camp are traumatized, especially when the weather continues to be cloudy. So remember the flood," said Mrs. Mahnim (35).

The mother of four children admitted that she and her entire family survived the flash flood. However, she admits that she is sad because the house where she lives has been razed to the ground.

"My parents and my house is flat. There is nothing we can save anymore," she said.

Based on data from the NTB BPBD, North Batulayar Hamlet, West Batulayar Village, Batulayar District, West Lombok Regency is one of the worst locations that occurred in West Lombok Regency.

As a result of the flash flood, as many as five local residents were declared dead. The five residents who died were Sumiahana (35), Ladenia aged 6 months, Sumiati (40), Papuk Temah (65), and H Suri (65). Suri was the last victim to be found Tuesday afternoon. In addition to the victims who died, a number of residents were also reported to have suffered injuries.