Aceh Earthquake: Residents, Tourists Flee To Safety

By Mohd Faizal Hassan KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 (Bernama) -- Locals and tourists in Banda Aceh, Aceh province of Indonesia were jolted out of their slumber by sirens warning them of the 6.4 Richter-scale earthquake which hit the area, early Wednesday. A Malaysian tourist who wanted to be known only as Azreen, said about 5am (6am Malaysian time), she and her husband were sleeping in their hotel room when they were woken up by tremors and blaring sirens signalling immediate evacuation. "The ground shook violently for about 10 seconds. I opened the window and saw many people running out in fear. We hurriedly grabbed our passports and went down to the hotel lobby where other tourists were gathered," she told Bernama in a WhatsApp message on Wednesday. Azreen who arrived in Aceh on Tuesday for a holiday, said she also heard the call for prayer and Quranic recitations coming from the nearby mosque, as well as people repeatedly saying the syahadah (declaration of faith). Immediately, Azreen said, she and her husband grabbed their bags and left the area. Meanwhile, an employee of a tourism agency in Banda Aceh, Bahrul Ilmi, said he and his family were waiting of the Subuh call for prayer when they felt the tremors. "The tremors were strong and we ran out of our house. Thankfully, the house was not damaged or any resident seriously injured," he said when interviewed via WhatsApp. Another employee of a tourism agency in Banda Aceh who only wanted to be known as Andy, said roads were damaged with some split open, and the business area in Pidie Jaya was also damaged in the earthquake. The Indonesian media have reported that more than 20 people were reported dead in the earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale in Pidie Jaya, early Wednesday morning while public amenities, offices, mosques and business premises were damaged. --BERNAMA