Observed Reconstruction of Houses in Aceh Seven Months after the Great Sumatra Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004

Abstract

The 26 December 2004 earthquake ( Mw=9.2) that shook Aceh and the subsequent tsunami catastrophe was one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. The world—governments and people—responded with unprecedented generosity in solidarity with the rescue and relief efforts of the affected communities and local and national authorities. This response has been very useful in reducing or mitigating the consequences of the disaster, and particularly in speeding the current recovery and reconstruction efforts. In the wake of the recovery and reconstruction of houses in Aceh, many NGOs and donors tried to introduce house types that defy the local culture with respect to earthquake-resistant houses and that also neglect social problems.