Tsunami stories from Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India

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• Tsunami stories from Sri Lanka, Indonesia and
  India

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• Hi, Im Vathiya. Im 12 years old and I live in
  the village of Navaledi in
• Sri Lanka.
• My village was destroyed by a big tidal wave
  called a tsunami in
• December 2004.

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My mum, my sister and one of my brothers died in
the tsunami. We lost our house too. Now I live
with my dad in this temporary house built by
Caritas EHED. I am happy because it is cool in
the house. We were living in a tent and it was
very hot.
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Here is my friend Sendhuran. He is helping his
mum build their temporary house. The walls are
made out of dried palm tree leaves this is why
the houses are so cool. We use the bricks from
our old houses to make the floor and then pour
cement on them.
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My school was damaged by the tsunami, so now I
must go to a school that is far away. We have to
go there by boat.
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• After the boat we have to get a tuk tuk a
  three wheeler. It takes a long time.
• I like going to school. My favourite subject is
  maths. I want to be a doctor when I grow up so I
  can save peoples lives and cure them. I will be
  able to save mothers, sisters and brothers if
  another tsunami happens.

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Here I am playing on a swing. Before the tsunami
there was a playground where I liked to play, but
now we play around the tents or the Hindu temple.
My favourite game is ceran, which is like
chess. I like it because I always win.
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• Hi, Im Mita and I live in Aceh in Indonesia. Our
  house was washed away by the tsunami we lost
  everything.
• My mum is making uniforms for school children to
  make some money. She has bought a small cooker
  and some plates so we can have dinner.

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Hi. I live on the island of Nias near Aceh in
Indonesia. My home was hit by the tsunami and
then we were hit again by an earthquake which
destroyed things even more. We didnt have
enough food, so the Jesuit Refugee Service gave
us food and medicine. It helped my family to
survive.
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Hello! Were from Vailankanni in southern India.
All our fishing boats were washed away by the
tsunami. We are happy because Caritas India have
given our parents new fishing boats so they can
start working again.
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• Photo credits
• Noel Gavin, Patrick Nicholson, Pete Garratt.