Dec 27, 2014

It is hard to imagine that one decade ago I had been dispatched to the Indonesia to cover Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services’ efforts after the December 26 tsunami that would eventually kill more than 200,000 people. The devastation remains unconscionable today, after being dropped into Aceh province to cover the victims and survivors. Only one word could truly describe my reaction to seeing the damage from the event: “Helpless.”

: With Masjid Rahmatullah Lampuuk (background) the only structure remaining in the area, Mimi searches through the rubble lying on top of the foundation which once was her sister’s home for any items she can find to keep as mementos Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Pendi and his wife Mimi are framed in the colors of the Indonesia, caught in a barbed wire fence as they head for her parents’ destroyed home to search for mementos Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Mimi and husband Pendi stand at what is left of her parents’ home Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. Mimi’s father was spared, but she lost other members of her family. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Jafar Ibrahim, 58, father of Mimi and sole survivor of her family, recalls from the house he visits with family Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. The father was battered as he fought the sea water, but was found and given medical attention. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: The bandaged hand of Jafar Ibrahim, 58, father of Mimi and sole survivor of her family, who speaks about his ordeal Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Pendi copies the steps of wife Mimi, who pauses to thumb through the foundation which once was her sister’s home for any items that was her to retrieve as mementos Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Banana leaves protect fresh rambutans on display for residents to purchase at the washed out bridge at Lhok Nga River as residents cross the river using a makeshift ferry (background left) Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. Fishermen have halted their trade for 100 days in response of the tsunami. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: An Indonesian Military uniform with flowers placed at the area where the head would be stands like a scarecrow, erected at the site where the building of Batallion Infantry 112 once stood as a monument Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. One website quotes an Aceh official that 500 or more military personnel are missing. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: A child watches 3 Indonesian Military Police walk with weapons of combat and of rebuilding Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Residents use a hand ferry to replace the washed out bridge as they shuttle each other to and fro across Lhok Nga river using tow lines tied to both shores while awaiting a new bridge to be constructed Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that ripped through the Aceh province December 26th.(Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Indonesian Military Police start work to help rebuild the washed out Lhok Nga River bridge Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Indonesian Military Police focus their attention on a bridge over the Lhok Nga River for repair Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Kepala Desa Hamdani, Dukoh’s village leader looks off as he ingests the gravity of the plight of Acehnese following the devastation from the tsunami Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. Residents of Banda Aceh, which suffered one of the worst disasters in modern history after half of the town was wiped out by an earthquake and tsunami, struggle to right themselves in an area already financially struggling. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Aerial photo of Banda Aceh, revealing the scope of devastation Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December in a view looking inland from the Indian Ocean, where the wall of water struck. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: A tower, bent and twisted as though wrung by giant hands lies among the rubble Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: As a band of rain begins (background left), aerial photo of Banda Aceh fails to capture the widespread scope of devastation as it only shows a portion of the acreage ripped apart Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Aerial photos of Banda Aceh, revealing the scope of devastation Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: With the stench of rotting flesh nearby, a briefcase rests 2 kilometers away from the shoreline (the coconut trees at horizon in background mark the beach area) swept inland by the Christmas tsunami at village Rukoh. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: A briefcase rests 2 kilometers away from the shoreline (the coconut trees in background mark the beach area) swept inland by the tsunami at the village of Rukoh Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: The feet of a Rukoh resident are caked with mud as he helps extract usable lumber Friday, Jan. 14, 2004 from the debris left by the Christmas tsunami that slammed into Rukoh. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: A partial rainbow flares above the rubble at sunset Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that ripped through the Aceh province December 26th. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Piles of debris from demolished property from the December tsunami reach close to the second level as a homeowner surveys the amount of work that needs to be done Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: A motorcycle helmet rests among the debris from homes and people of up to two kilometers away in the community of Rukoh. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Residents pull and tug at lathes from piles of debris left inland from structures destroyed by the Christmas tsunami in order to use them at Rukoh village Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Retrieving different sizes and cuts of lumber, residents trudge between two mounds of debris left inland from structures destroyed by the Christmas tsunami in order to use them at village Rukoh Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. Residents of Banda Aceh, which suffered one of the worst disasters in modern history after half of the town was wiped out, struggle to right themselves in an area already financially struggling. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: The land below is reflected on the protective goggles of Navy AM1 George Hokanson who stares out at the landscape from a Navy SH- 605 helicopter based on the USNS San Jose that flies food to Lhok Nga residents Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Toting sacks of rice, United States military personnel stand in line at Banda Aceh’s airport to load a helicopter that will carry the items to remote areas affected by the tsunami Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: United States military personnel create a human conveyor on a soccer field to get water on board helicopters that will carry the items to remote areas affected by the tsunami from the city’s airport Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Residents of Lhok Nga rush in to offload food from a Navy SH- 605 helicopter based on the USNS San Jose Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Some Lhok Nga residents wave to the crew of the U.S. Navy helicopter that takes off after delivering water and rice while others duck to reduce getting hit with the air from the rotors Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11 smiles as she takes part in class January 14, 2005 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. She lost her home, her brother Raja Iqbal, 4 plus an additional 58 extended family members, and a sense of stability in her life, symbolic of many of the people — women and children — who took the brunt of the tsunami that struck the coast in the early morning of December 26. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11 (second from right) squeezes in with new friends Fitria Siranggiana, 9 (left), Lia Azrina, 11 and Nurul Husna, 9, to show their teacher their progress while pausing on their project to create a drawing at Darussalem as they attempt to get back on their feet January 14, 2004 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11, center, sketches with her new friends Lia Azrina, 11, left, and Norul Husna, 9, during class in a tent at Darussalem. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11 shows off her incomplete sketch of Banda Aceh during school at Darussalem. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira, 11 stares blankly as other children react to their instructor January 14, 2005 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11 confronts a boy whom she claims wasn’t playing fair. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira, 11 (center) claps hands with friends Lia Azrina, 11 (left) and Feni Ulfina, 14 while they stand in a circle, starting a chant in a children’s game. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira, 11, to the delight of the other children leaps, kicking her left foot out to catch the rubber band rope (it’s like a reverse form of “limbo,” where the line is raised and the subject must go above the line) as they attempt to get back on their feet January 14, 2005 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira, 11, to the delight of the other children, leaps while kicking her left foot out to catch the rubber band rope held by classmates in a game opposite of the “limbo.” (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11, before heading to school, eats a meal in the tent that is now her family’s home at Darussalem. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira, 11, looks out the window of the military tent that her family now calls home while clothing from other families (background) hangs on the lines that support the tent as the families attempt to get back on their feet January 13, 2005 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: With a lack of privacy in a military tent filled with displaced people, Humaira Puspitadewi, 11 (right) makes a fruitless attempt at napping on bricks of diapers with her brother Ahmad Chumaini, 9 (center) and brother- in- law TM Hasan Basri, 9, who relaxes while the aunt, Hayatun (background) mends clothing. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira Puspitadewi, 11 rubs her eyes as she reads the Koran as her mother Badria M. Hasyim sees that she is sleepy while her surviving brother Ahmad Chumaini, 9 (left) looks on as they attempt to get back on their feet January 16, 2005 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. Humaira lost a younger brother, Raja Iqbal, 4, plus an additional 58 extended family. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Humaira, 11 (left) sits in the community tent behind her father as they attempt to get back on their feet January 16, 2005 after a tsunami destroyed their home and disrupted their lives in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Rukoh village home owner Nazaruddin pauses for a break from cleaning his home, the evidence of the watermark from the tsunami showing on the columns Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. Residents of Banda Aceh, which suffered one of the worst disasters in modern history after half of the town was wiped out by an earthquake and tsunami, struggle to right themselves in an area already financially struggling .(Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Foliage stripped barren by the tsunami expose residents who survey the extensive damage at sunset Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2005 following a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Muchlia stir- fries supper as another displaced resident walks past at Rukoh’s shelter Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. Residents of Banda Aceh, which suffered one of the worst disasters in modern history after half of the town was wiped out by an earthquake and tsunami, struggle to get the area back on track. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Dasril (left) prepares to wash as Henrda, 15 dips in to the well for water at Rukoh village’s shelter Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Peering from the tent she shares with her husband, Ernawaty and her baby Roaeja, one- year- old, still have no where else to live following the Christmas tsunami but the tent they sit inside on the grounds at Masjid Kopelma Darussalam. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Rukoh village residents chip in to help create food sacks for distribution to the survivors Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Young girls clap hands and chant to the delight of other youngsters at Camp MNS Desa Lamgugop Monday, Jan. 17 2005. Save The Children has begun sponsoring safe spaces for the children, who have been victimized by a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Children hold hands as they begin a game at Camp MNS Desa Lamgugop Monday, Jan. 17 2005. Save The Children has begun sponsoring safe spaces for the children, who have been victimized by a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Volunteer Didik Yudhi Ranup, who has a background in psychology leads young boys in children’s games at Camp MNS Desa Lamgugop Monday, Jan. 17 2005. Save The Children has begun sponsoring safe spaces for the children, who have been victimized by a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: M. Syafril holds M. Dana, watching the activities that children are involved with before they decide to take part in the fun at Camp MNS Desa Lamgugop Monday, Jan. 17 2005. Save The Children has begun sponsoring safe spaces for the children, who have been victimized by a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Young boys pressed against each other enjoy a good laugh as they play at Camp MNS Desa Lamgugop Monday, Jan. 17 2005. Save The Children has begun sponsoring safe spaces for the children, who have been victimized by a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: From left, Sultan, 4, Ikram, 6, and Kiki, 7 walk arm in arm at Camp MNS Desa Lamgugop Monday, Jan. 17 2005. Save The Children has begun sponsoring safe spaces for the children, who have been victimized by a tsunami that swept through the town in December. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Muslims attending Friday prayer exit Masjid Kopelma Darussalam as tents for the displaced await many of them as temporary homes Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Muslims attend Friday prayer as the talk discusses the tragedy of the tsunami that killed thousands and displaced many others Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Muslims attend Friday prayer at Masjid Kopelma Darussalam Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Already having taken part in Friday prayer which included the speaker talking about the tsunami disaster, a child watches the adults continue at Masjid Kopelma Darussalam Friday, Jan. 14, 2004. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Chadreyee Banerjee of Catholic Relief Services marks places where the CRS is operational in Sri Lanka at CRS Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: The stress of having to coordinate information of a massive amount of relief effort for an upcoming meeting shows on the face of Chadreyee Banerjee of Catholic Relief Services. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Chadreyee Banerjee of Catholic Relief Services works in her work space while mail clerk Chris Stanley drops mail for Tammie Jones, Administrator for the Eurasia region at CRS Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

: Pausing from her hectic work day, Chadreyee Banerjee of Catholic Relief Services hugs Judson Flanagan, Senior Director for Outreach and Programs in US Operations, who left a small jug of maple syrup for her as a present after his return from a trip to Maine at CRS Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005. Banerjee says that she rarely has had to purchase food, with staffers leaving food items and even businesses sometimes not charging her for food items since word spread about her involvement in helping the affected people. CRS is working frantically to assist the grief- stricken southeastern Asia region following a tsunami that has claimed around 150,000. (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun)

The 2004 earthquake deep beneath the Indian Ocean is believed to have lasted three to four minutes, the epicenter near the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The resulting displacement of water created a tsunami that flowed thousands of miles and washed over South Asia and East Africa. It is estimated to have killed more than 230,000 people. The United State Geological Survey estimates about 1.7 million people in 14 countries were affected, and the December 26 earthquake, at 9.1 magnitude, the third largest since the start of the 20th Century. Baltimore Sun staff photographer Karl Merton Ferron went to Indonesia to cover the work of Catholic Relief Services and the lives of the survivors.

The bodies left in piles along muddy streets did not bother me as much as the ghosts of the people no longer there. I photographed an open, abandoned suitcase sitting alone on a wave-scoured landscape two miles from shore. I imagined a businessman, possibly staying miles away in a seashore hotel, scrambling to escape the inescapable surge of ocean. That was my moment of helplessness, felt while standing among complete destruction, all the while unable to capture an image that expressed the result of his possible fate.

My laptop, satellite phone, and digital cameras served as my portal to the world, while a pop-up tent, baby wipes, and rainy afternoons helped with daily hygiene as I was camped outside the CRS location. The Daily Salat, broadcast over a speaker from a nearby mosque, provided some comfort in an area reeking from unclaimed remains. The only hope I felt came from the smiles of the people I met and photographed. The local volunteers with me as I traveled on a military helicopter loaded with containers of fresh water. A young girl named Humaira, whom I followed for several days after seeing her peer from the window of a large tent sheltering residents. Some of her relatives, including her brother, had been swept away by the water as she grasped a palm tree for survival. Her smile while playing games with other young survivors surely masked her anguish of what had become of her family. — Karl Merton Ferron.

Remembering devastation of 2004 tsunami

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