The extent of damage

On our way back to the hotel from Tibang, I could not help but reflect upon the immense extent of damage caused by the tsunami and the earthquakes which followed. Tibang was almost 2 km away from the coast, and already there was such devastation. Our hotel was located about 5 km from the coast - our driver reckoned - and yet still, during the tsunami, the floodwaters rose to almost 2 metres in depth, and around 20 bodies were washed into its ground floor reception lobby.

Every day, we would see this building en route to Tibang from our hotel. It was damaged in one of the strong aftershocks.