People in Indonesia have taken a moment to remember victims of a deadly earthquake that devastated the central part of Sulawesi island five years ago, leaving thousands dead.

The jolt struck central Sulawesi on September 28, 2018. It triggered a tsunami that battered the coastal areas. Soil turned to liquid, burying homes in mud. The disaster claimed around 4,000 lives.

Marking the anniversary, residents in Palu City offered prayers in a district that was hit especially hard. Some still struggle to deal with the tragedy that suddenly took their loved ones.

One woman lost a 3-year-old daughter, who was never found. She searched repeatedly for clues to what had happened. People digging in the ground on Wednesday found possible human bone fragments. The woman says she hopes they are those of her daughter.

"No words can describe how sad I was every time I came here right after the quake. But I have to live my life, and raise my other children."

Five years on, people are not allowed to live in areas that were hard-hit. The government had planned to build about 5,700 houses by 2020 for displaced residents.
But only about 30 percent of the work has been completed due to delays securing land, and the coronavirus pandemic.