"Natural Disasters Erase Beauty: The Bener Meriah Tropical Rainforest Is in Mourning, and Now Hope for Revival Remains 🌨️"

Flash floods and landslides always bring two losses at once, the visible losses can be in the form of houses, offices, schools, rice fields, gardens, bridges and road access as well as losses that are not always visible in numbers, namely a sense of security, job security and social peace.

Good evening, my friends, wherever you are. I hope you are all healthy and happy so you can carry out your daily activities as usual. I hope you all have a pleasant day.

The nature of Aceh, repeatedly tested by disasters, has once again taught me an important lesson: recovery cannot be achieved solely through logistics. It demands solidarity that works across disciplines and comprehensively. It has been four months since the natural disaster struck Aceh, and recovery is still ongoing.

In the images I will share, I will show some of the damage that occurred. I took some of these images during my trip to Bener Meriah a few days ago with my friends. If you've been following my blog lately, I've been focusing on the post-disaster situation in my region, Bener Meriah, which is one of the most severely affected areas in Aceh.

So, please continue to follow my blog to see some of the images and short articles from me.

My friends...
Areas such as Aceh Tamiang, East Aceh, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, North Aceh, and Bireuen were recorded as the most affected, as many villages were isolated due to collapsed bridges and collapsed roads.

These are some pictures I took with my cell phone, showing the central government distributing and erecting tents in almost every home, as these areas were isolated by the natural disaster, which resulted in collapsed bridges and landslides.

My friends...
It's now been almost four months since the natural disaster, and the last I heard was that more than 700 infrastructure damage was reported in Aceh, not to mention North Sumatra and West Sumatra, which were also affected by the disaster.

From this data, we can see that this is more than just statistics; it confirms that Aceh's recovery requires collective humanitarian work, across civil society, the Acehnese diaspora, the business world, and various communities.

Unfortunately, our practice so far has often been limited to a wave of empathy when disaster strikes—aid arrives, posts are busy, and donations flow. Unfortunately, after the initial weeks pass, this solidarity fades, while the recovery phase is just beginning: clearing mud deposits, restoring access to schools, cleaning homes, gardens, and rice fields, providing health services, providing jobs, revitalizing livelihoods, and treating trauma.

I personally see many landslides still occurring in the area, with no clearing done, and some of them are even on roads used by vehicles.

Furthermore, while the Bener Meriah area, which I visited a few days ago, boasted extraordinary natural beauty, that beauty has now vanished, leaving only the scars of the natural disaster that struck the region several months ago, leaving the community with lingering trauma.

Some of the images I'm sharing were taken while I was crossing one of the bridges on the national highway connecting Bireuen and Bener Meriah regencies. The atmosphere in the area was tense, with several scenes depicting the damage caused by the natural disaster.

Furthermore, forest destruction in the upstream area is suspected of exacerbating the impact of flooding and landslides.

I took some of the images below, which show the damage. This was once a popular upstream area and a popular camping spot for locals and those from out of town. However, the area has now been damaged by natural disasters. Although its beauty, as a tropical rainforest, remains visible, the damage is still visible, and recovery will take time.

Okay, friends, those are some of the images and short posts from me on this blog. I hope you all enjoy and are entertained by what I share. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you who have taken the time to view and read my blog to the end.

Please leave your comments, support, and input, which means a lot to me, so I can create a better blog in the future.

That's all for now.
Greetings, everyone.
See you in my next blog.

About the author

Maulizar Mawardi or better known as @antonydossantos. I am a student. Like taking pictures, but not a professional photographer, insect lover, nature lover, looking for momentum is my hobby.