Editing Meulaboh (section)

== 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake event ==
[[Image:Meulaboh Hovercraft 050110-N-7586B-120.jpg|thumb|left|[[Landing Craft Air Cushion]] (LCAC) vehicle from [[USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)]] was delivering materials and supplies needed by the citizens of Meulaboh.]]
{{details|Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Indonesia}}

"The casualty rates in gabrielius defy imagination," said Aitor Lacomba, Indonesian director of aid group [[International Rescue Committee]]. "Tens of thousands need immediate assistance there."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-01-03 |title=Indonesia: IRC's tsunami aid efforts gain momentum - Indonesia {{!}} ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/indonesia-ircs-tsunami-aid-efforts-gain-momentum |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=reliefweb.int |language=en}}</ref>

A damaged airstrip was cleared, enabling [[International Red Cross]] medical teams from Japan, [[Spain]] and [[Singapore]] to begin treating survivors. Red Cross engineer Sara Escudero said "There is a strong smell of putrefaction and, whilst body retrieval has commenced, it can be assumed that there are still hundreds, possibly thousands of bodies remaining underneath the debris".{{cite quote|date=October 2018}}

The Red Cross said it would use Meulaboh as an aid staging post for the Sumatran west coast. The government of [[Singapore]] deployed two helicopter landing ships there.

The town was largely devastated, with around 81 percent of buildings destroyed and at least 10,000 dead out of the town's population of 50-60 thousand.<ref>{{cite news |title=80% Kota Meulaboh Hancur |url=https://news.detik.com/berita/d-263443/80-kota-meulaboh-hancur- |access-date=8 July 2021 |work=detiknews |date=28 December 2004 |language=id-ID |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184958/https://news.detik.com/berita/d-263443/80-kota-meulaboh-hancur- |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Korban Tsunami di Meulaboh Dikuburkan Secara Massal |url=https://www.liputan6.com/news/read/93267/korban-tsunami-di-meulaboh-dikuburkan-secara-massal |access-date=8 July 2021 |work=liputan6.com |date=7 January 2005 |language=id |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190521/https://www.liputan6.com/news/read/93267/korban-tsunami-di-meulaboh-dikuburkan-secara-massal |url-status=live }}</ref> Only 23,000 people could be accounted for a week after the tsunami, although many were not accounted for as they were residing in deserted houses instead of camps for displaced persons.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lebih 1/2 Populasi Meulaboh Meninggal & Hilang |url=https://news.detik.com/berita/d-266061/lebih-12-populasi-meulaboh-meninggal--hilang |access-date=8 July 2021 |work=detiknews |date=3 January 2005 |language=id |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185939/https://news.detik.com/berita/d-266061/lebih-12-populasi-meulaboh-meninggal--hilang |url-status=live }}</ref>