Indonesia: Acehnese people more prepared for tsunami threat

Residents living in some seaside villages of Aceh said they waited to watch for natural signs, such as the receding sea, before fleeing to the highlands, when the earthquake magnitude 8.5 rocked the Aceh province on April 4. Claiming to have been more prepared to face the tsunami disaster, they admitted they heard the early warning system siren but preferred to observe natural signs before seeking shelter. "After the earthquake occurred I was just watching the beach for the receding sea water, which is the perfect time to seek higher ground," said a resident of Puri Swaendra, in the district of Meulaboh in Aceh.