Rebuilding in Indonesia’s tsunami zone leaves city in peril

Timely reminder: Women walking by a derelict building with grafiti dedicated to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Banda Aceh. — AFP

BANDA ACEH: When 12m waves slammed into Banda Aceh on the northern tip of Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Boxing Day in 2004, Arif Munandar lost his wife, three sons, and 20 other members of his family as much of the city was obliterated.

The tsunami – triggered by a massive 9.1 magnitude quake – also hit at least six other countries along the rim of the Indian Ocean, killing more than 230,000 people.