TWO HAITI EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS BACK IN JAKARTA

Jakarta, Feb 17 (ANTARA) - Two Indonesians who survived the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, Endang Dwi Satriyani and Yogi Anggoro, met a foreign ministry official here on Wednesday to tell their stories.

The two, who had been working as volunteers for a United Nations (UN) mission to stabilize Haiti (Minustah), arrived from Haiti on Saturday (Feb 13) and met with Teguh Wardoyo, director of the foreign ministry's citizens' and legal entities' protection unit.

Both said they were grateful they had survived the earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, and could return home safely to share their experience in the horrific disaster.

"The earthquake happened just after office hours, when most employees were already in the streets on their way home. I imagine there would have been many more casualties if the temblor had hit during office hours," said Yogi, who had joined the UN in October 2009.

He said, at the time he was in a group of workers dismantling a former Jordanian military camp near a logistics base, close to Port-au-Prince's airport.

"Then, the quake came. The ground under me vibrated vertically, so I could not remain in a standing position. The camp's position also shifted about 15 centimeters," Yogi said, adding that the quake lasted approximately three minutes.

"The first thought that came to my mind was the Aceh earthquake and I immediately also thought of a possible tsunami," said Yogi who had worked in Save the Children and American Red Cross disaster relief groups for 2.5 years in the aftermath of the Aceh earthquake and tsunami.

Meanwhile, Endang, who was at the UN office located about 15 kilometers from Yogi's location at the time, said that she was in the office where she worked.

"Usually at 4:45 pm I was already on my way to wait for the bus, but a friend offered me a ride home, so I stayed for about five minutes. Within these five minutes the earthquake happened," said Endang.

Endang said that her office was located on the first floor near the entrance of the building of three stories. Everybody panicked when the earthquake happened and people rushed out of the building.

"After the earthquake, me and my friends waited at the parking lot because my apartment was cracked and the UN security staff did not allow me to stay in the apartment again," said Endang.

Endang and Yogi arrived in Jakarta on Saturday night last week, and both will return to Haiti at the beginning of next March because they still have duties and responsibilities to do.

According to Endang she was grateful to be stationed in Haiti, as many of her colleagues had been assigned in the conflict area.

From communications made by Indonesian representatives in New York with them, she also learned about the presence of three Balinese Indonesians working at the Hotel Caribee in Port-au-Prince,
The three Indonesians were Ni Luh Made Juini, Ni Ketut Yastri Astiti and I Gusti Putu Ayu Putu Sukerti but they were also safe and had returned to Denpasar.

Ni Ketut Yastri Astiti and I Gusti Putu Ayu Putu Sukerti returned to Indonesia on January 29, 2010, because they still had a valid US visa and Ni Luh Made Juini had to manage her visa extension before returning to Bali on February 5, 2010.