Aceh still suffering a decade after the tsunami »

A decade after the Boxing Day tsunami wiped out seaside villages across Aceh, the Indonesian province is still suffering major problems. The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami devastated Aceh's west coast, killed at least 130,000 people and left around 500,000 people homeless. Aid and development expert Dr John McCarthy, from The Australian National University (ANU), said the disaster triggered a massive aid program which rebuilt infrastructure, but many people in Aceh continue to suffer from food poverty and lead impoverished lives. "Aceh still has a long way to go to recover from the conflict and the tsunami disaster," said Dr McCarthy, from the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy. "While the aid programs have reconstructed roads and infrastructure, many villagers still face seasonal food shortages and households in many parts of Aceh remain vulnerable." The disaster generated a massive aid and reconstruction program, with around 463 non-government organisations and agencies spending around $7.5 billion. This made post-tsunami Aceh one of the largest reconstruction projects in the developing world. Australian donors and the government gave more than $1 billion.