This is Mrs. Melawati, an Indonesian woman who survived the tsunami by clinging on to a palm tree in the ocean. A resident of Aceh Province, she like so many others were living normally one moment before the earthquake struck and ultimately, the tsunami.
The tsunami waves struck her home province, catching her off guard. When the water began to recede with Melawati in it, she began searching for floating debris to grab ahold of, and she luckily spotted the uprooted trunk of a palm tree. For 5 whole days Melawati clung on, shivering in the cold water and wearing only rags. She ate the tree's fruit and even its bark to survive, while at the same time being bitten by fish under the water. On day 5, she spotted a ship sailing nearby. Melawati began waving frantically to draw the attention of the crew, which worked. The crew of the ship, a Malaysian tuna vessel, eventually pulled her out of the water. Afterwards, she cried throughout the 3 days she stayed on the ship before it docked in Malaysia. Remarkably, Melawati later learned while undergoing treatment for her injuries that she was 4 and a half months pregnant with her first child. “I’m very glad, very happy,” she said.
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Archives
This is Mrs. Melawati, an Indonesian woman who survived the tsunami by clinging on to a palm tree in the ocean. A resident of Aceh Province, she like so many others were living normally one moment before the earthquake struck and ultimately, the tsunami.
The tsunami waves struck her home province, catching her off guard. When the water began to recede with Melawati in it, she began searching for floating debris to grab ahold of, and she luckily spotted the uprooted trunk of a palm tree. For 5 whole days Melawati clung on, shivering in the cold water and wearing only rags. She ate the tree's fruit and even its bark to survive, while at the same time being bitten by fish under the water. On day 5, she spotted a ship sailing nearby. Melawati began waving frantically to draw the attention of the crew, which worked. The crew of the ship, a Malaysian tuna vessel, eventually pulled her out of the water. Afterwards, she cried throughout the 3 days she stayed on the ship before it docked in Malaysia. Remarkably, Melawati later learned while undergoing treatment for her injuries that she was 4 and a half months pregnant with her first child. “I’m very glad, very happy,” she said.
Sources:
www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6781660
www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-04-fg-dri…
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