Son’s Heartbreak: Flood Search Ends with Mother Found Dead Praying

“My mother passed away while praying. Her body was found still wearing her prayer garment,” recounted Erik Andesra on Sunday, November 30.

Erik, as he is commonly known, shared his harrowing account of searching for five family members who went missing after devastating flash floods (galodo) struck West Sumatra on Thursday, November 27. His narrative paints a vivid picture of the relentless struggle and profound loss experienced by many in the region.

Just days before the catastrophic event, Erik had planned to travel to Pasaman for work. However, his mother, Ernita (58), a victim of the natural disaster that ravaged much of Palembayan, Agam Regency, had not permitted him to leave.

“On the 24th, I asked my mother for permission to go to Pasaman for work. Due to the frequent rain, she didn’t allow me to leave and said I could only depart on the 27th,” he recalled. This seemingly small delay inadvertently saved his life, but placed him in an agonizing position as the disaster unfolded.

Tragically, on that very day, November 27, the torrential floods struck his mother’s village. Erik, residing approximately eight kilometers from his mother’s home, immediately set out for his parents’ location, determined to reach them.

“As I reached the intersection, I saw that the area was already submerged in water and mud. I also observed many large rocks strewn across the riverbed,” he described, the scene a prelude to the overwhelming devastation.

Upon arrival, Erik could no longer see the house his mother had occupied. A sudden weakness overcame him, yet he clung to the desperate hope that his mother had survived the raging waters.

“After waiting a few agonizing minutes, I received news that my mother was still inside the house when it was destroyed by the water,” he recounted, the information a crushing blow that ignited his urgent search efforts. Hearing this, Erik immediately began his relentless quest for information regarding his mother’s whereabouts, who had been declared missing in the wake of the catastrophe. He bravely pushed through chest-high mud, driven by an unwavering resolve to find her.

“On the day of the incident, I tried to find out where my mother was. Every time a body was found, I rushed to examine their face,” he stated, a testament to the agonizing uncertainty faced by many families.

It soon became clear that the disaster had claimed more than just his mother. His sister and three nephews were also reported missing and feared to have perished in the floods.

“The following day, I received a photo of my nephew’s body, discovered approximately seven kilometers from our home and already placed in a body bag,” he shared, marking the first tragic confirmation of loss within his immediate family.

He promptly retrieved the body and transported it to Gumarang, about 10 kilometers from the discovery site, to be laid to rest.

“As his parents were isolated and unable to reach him, they asked me to transport his body to his grandmother’s house in Gumarang,” he explained, highlighting the logistical nightmares survivors faced.

After his nephew’s burial, Erik immediately resumed his search for his mother, whose fate remained unknown on Friday, the day after the flash floods.

Searching for Mother and Isolated Family

By Friday, November 28, Erik tirelessly continued his search for his mother, sister, and two other nephews, all of whom remained unaccounted for. This grief-stricken quest was further complicated by additional challenges.

As the third of five siblings, Erik also faced the daunting task of assisting his family members in Jorong Subarang Aie, Nagari Salareh Aie Timur, who were completely isolated and helpless.

“Those of us on the main road could do nothing. The continuous rain and treacherous galodo debris, deep with mud, made movement impossible,” he recalled, emphasizing the dire situation.

Residents in that Jorong had been cut off since the disaster, and by Friday afternoon, they were running critically low on food supplies. In a remarkable display of courage, Erik’s lean cousin, Darul, took it upon himself to deliver essential provisions to their isolated relatives.

“He eventually reached them by navigating chest-high mud, delivering what little food he could gather for the isolated family,” Erik revealed, underscoring the community’s determination.

Beyond the scarcity of food, it was discovered that a resident in the isolated location had suffered severe injuries after being struck by the galodo but miraculously survived. “We, along with some local youth and other relatives, finally managed to evacuate my cousin on Saturday afternoon, taking him to the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Lubuk Basung,” he said.

Erik, alongside friends and family, carried his injured cousin through deep mud before he was transferred to a Satbrimob (Mobile Brigade Corps) vehicle on the other side, then transported by ambulance to the hospital. The issue of isolation also began to ease as residents, supported by police teams, constructed an emergency bridge using palm trees and ropes, gradually restoring access.

Heavy Equipment Deployed in Final Search

With the search for his mother yielding no results, Erik embarked on a desperate, yet determined, idea: renting heavy equipment operating in Jorong Subarang Aie to aid his personal search.

“I negotiated with the heavy equipment owner, and he eventually agreed to help search for my mother amidst the house ruins, the area I had suspected from the start,” he explained, highlighting his persistence.

On Saturday afternoon, as dusk approached, Erik personally assisted the heavy equipment operator in searching for his mother’s remains at the former site of their home. However, by nightfall, Erik’s efforts remained fruitless. He was forced to halt the search, fearing that visibility issues could inadvertently damage his mother’s body if she were to be found in the dark.

“We decided to continue the search with the Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency) team this morning. We resumed the search in the same location using an excavator,” he stated.

After approximately three hours of painstaking searching, Erik finally reunited with his mother, Ernita, whose body was found buried under the house debris, pinned between the wreckage. The Basarnas team, upon identifying the body, immediately moved to carefully extricate Ernita’s remains from beneath the ruins destroyed by the galodo.

“My mother’s body was found still wearing the mukena she had on during the incident. According to my brother-in-law, who survived, she was praying inside the house at the time,” he added, a poignant detail that offered a glimmer of peace amidst the tragedy.

With utmost care, Ernita’s body was successfully recovered intact, without any limbs lost due to the devastating natural disaster. “Her body showed no injuries, her legs could still be straightened, and I was even able to fold her hands respectfully,” he tearfully expressed, providing a measure of comfort in her peaceful repose.

Ernita’s remains, discovered in such a unique circumstance by her family and Basarnas, were handled differently from other victims. After evacuation, her body was immediately taken to a nearby prayer house, about one kilometer from the search site, for immediate burial in the family cemetery.

This contrasted with other victims’ bodies found by search teams comprising police, military, and volunteers, which had to be taken to a central collection point for identification processes first.

Toll Mounts in Palembayan

AKBP Muari, Chief of the Agam Police, reported on Sunday, November 30, the fourth day following the flash floods in the Palembayan area, that a total of 112 bodies had been recovered.

“A total of 112 bodies have been recovered, with 85 identified, while 27 remain unidentified,” he stated, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.

He confirmed that the 27 unidentified victims would undergo identification by police doctors dispatched from the West Sumatra Regional Police Headquarters. “Today’s search efforts involve scouring suspected areas and clearing river flows to reveal any bodies submerged or settled on the surface,” he elaborated on the ongoing operations.

He also noted that their search efforts were significantly bolstered by assistance from the Riau Regional Police, who deployed 290 personnel to the disaster zone. “However, today’s search is hampered by damaged heavy equipment and several routes still buried under mud, which require clearing,” he noted, outlining the persistent challenges faced by rescue teams.

Despite these obstacles, the weather conditions in Palembayan were reportedly quite clear, allowing the teams greater freedom to conduct searches and investigations across various locations.

West Sumatra Disaster: A Regional Overview of Casualties

The West Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) released updated casualty figures on Sunday, November 30, indicating that 129 people had died across seven regencies and cities in the province.

Additionally, 86 other individuals were still reported missing and their whereabouts remained unknown to the search teams on the ground. “As for the eight other regions in West Sumatra, we have not received any reports of fatalities or missing persons to date,” stated Arry Yuswandi, the Provincial Secretary of West Sumatra, providing a comprehensive regional update.

Arry detailed the distribution of casualties: Agam Regency accounted for 87 confirmed deaths, with 76 others still missing. In Padang Panjang City, 21 fatalities were recorded, and 32 individuals remained unaccounted for.

Padang City reported 10 deaths, with no missing persons. Tanah Datar Regency registered two deaths and one person still missing. West Pasaman Regency had one confirmed death and six individuals missing. Padang Pariaman Regency suffered seven deaths and two missing. Solok City reported one fatality, and South Pesisir Regency had one person still missing as of the latest report.

Journalist Halbert Caniago in West Sumatra contributed to this article.

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