In the aftermath of cyclone-triggered floods and landslides that ravaged Sumatra island in Indonesia, Abdul Ghani has been desperately searching for his missing wife. The 57-year-old, who sells soft drinks for a living, has been tirelessly traversing the muddy roads of Palembayan, displaying a photo of his wife, Marsoni, whom he has been married to for 25 years.
After losing their only child seven years ago, Marsoni is all that remains for Ghani. Despite his fading hopes of finding her alive, he clings to the possibility of at least locating her remains. Ghani recollects how the rain intensified as he was working on that fateful Friday afternoon, later learning that several houses, including his own, were swept away near the river where they lived.
Since then, he has carried a large photo of his wife, showing it to anyone who might have information, including rescue teams sifting through the debris. The disaster in Indonesia has claimed the lives of 686 individuals, with 476 still unaccounted for, and over a million people have been evacuated as of the latest reports.
The catastrophic events in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand add to the string of severe weather incidents in Southeast Asia, with typhoons wreaking havoc in the Philippines and Vietnam. Ghani, with tears in his eyes, expresses his simple wish for his wife to receive a proper burial, lamenting the loss of their shared life and questioning his next steps without her presence.
