Sulawesi quake and tsunami

Sulawesi quake: Trying to piece their lives back together

With homes, livelihoods in ruins, reconstruction will be a challenge

Ms Ipa Thamrin scavenging for scrap metal in front of her house which was destroyed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. Children hit by the catastrophe begging for help or donations (above) from passing motorists along the road leading to Pa
Ms Ipa Thamrin scavenging for scrap metal in front of her house which was destroyed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Ms Ipa Thamrin scavenging for scrap metal in front of her house which was destroyed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. Children hit by the catastrophe begging for help or donations (above) from passing motorists along the road leading to Pa
Children hit by the catastrophe begging for help or donations from passing motorists along the road leading to Palu. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Ms Ipa Thamrin scavenging for scrap metal in front of her house which was destroyed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. Children hit by the catastrophe begging for help or donations (above) from passing motorists along the road leading to Pa
Long lines of people trying to buy fuel because of the severe shortage. The economy of Palu and its neighbouring towns have ground to a halt. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Ms Ipa Thamrin scavenging for scrap metal in front of her house which was destroyed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. Children hit by the catastrophe begging for help or donations (above) from passing motorists along the road leading to Pa
Indonesia's President Joko Widodo visiting survivors of the disaster in Palu, Central Sulawesi, last Wednesday. The natural calamity has left buildings in the city damaged extensively (above) and brought the economy to a halt.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, DESMOND FOO
Ms Ipa Thamrin scavenging for scrap metal in front of her house which was destroyed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. Children hit by the catastrophe begging for help or donations (above) from passing motorists along the road leading to Pa
Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (above) visiting survivors of the disaster in Palu, Central Sulawesi, last Wednesday. The natural calamity has left buildings in the city damaged extensively and brought the economy to a halt.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, DESMOND FOO
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As the sun set over her beachfront village two Fridays ago, Ms Ipa Thamrin, 41, felt the earth shake beneath her feet.

She was just about to perform her dusk prayers, and instinctively reached for a table as she almost slipped. She heard loud cracking sounds and quickly gathered her children.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on October 07, 2018, with the headline Sulawesi quake: Trying to piece their lives back together . Subscribe