Not That Easy For Earthquake Victims To Want To Return Home

Photo of the impact of the Cianjur Earthquake via BNPB

JAKARTA - A number of earthquake victims who fled at the Limbangan Sari Disaster Post, Cianjur, West Java, continued to try to fight trauma so they could return to their homes.

"If asked if you want to go back home, the answer is you will. Who wants to continue to evacuate in refugee camps with this condition. Want to return home, but still traumatized," said Siti Fatimah, an earthquake victim who fled at the Limbangan Sari Disaster Post, Thursday, December 1.

The resident of Berenuk Village in Limbang Sari Village has been displaced at the post since November 22, 2022, a day after an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 rocked the Cianjur area.

The earthquake had caused Siti to lose two children, each aged six years and three months, a nephew, and an older brother. Siti's house was also heavily damaged by the earthquake.

"My son both died, my nephew too. There was a very big regret because I could not help my baby and my nephew," he complained as quoted by Antara.

"Until now I still remember the sound of my child's cry asking for help, but I can't help it," said Siti, who at the time of the earthquake was at her brother's house in Tegallega Village in Warungkondang District.

Despite still struggling with trauma, Siti has the determination to return home and reorganize her life.

"Even though I was traumatized, my house was badly damaged, I still want to go back home... Rebuilding my damaged house instead of moving to the relocation (region). That's because the place is far from my brother here," he said.

Like Siti, Dewinta (32) is still trying to overcome the trauma to return to her home after the earthquake.

"Of course I want to go back to my house, after all, it's our house, there are many memories. But yes, that was, apart from my house which was quite badly damaged, I'm also still traumatized," said Dewinta.

"My youngest child, if I take him to see the condition of the house, he doesn't want to see the trauma," he added. According to the Coordinator of the Limbangan Disaster Post, Sari Ari Setiawan, there are still around 460 residents of Berenuk Village who have fled to the post.

At the Limbangan Sari Disaster Post, which is provided by the State-Owned Enterprises Synergy, there are 21 tents measuring 4 x 6 meters and three platoon tents that were set up to accommodate earthquake victims.

"We have set up refugee camps here since Tuesday (22/11) or the day after the earthquake," he said.

Ari said that most of the refugees who occupied the Limbang Sari Disaster Post were residents of Berenuk Village whose houses were moderately to heavily damaged.

According to government data, the earthquake that hit the Cianjur Regency area as of Wednesday (30/11) had killed 328 people.

The number of residents who fled because their houses were affected by the earthquake as of Tuesday (29/11) afternoon was recorded at 108,720 people, consisting of 52,987 men and 55,733 women.

Cianjur Regent Herman Suherman and officials of the National Disaster Management Agency and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency appealed to residents whose homes are still safe to live in.

"Residents who live in refugee camps can return home with a note that their homes are still safe to live in, but they are advised to remain vigilant," said Herman.