It was still dark and the call to the dawn prayer from the As-Saadah Mosque in the village of Dukuh Gunungraja at the foot of Mt Dieng had just been sounded.

As was their routine, Masroni and his wife began preparing for the short walk to the mosque which was located in the middle of the village. Slowly they set out, unconcerned with the rumblings of the earth two hours before. Heavy downpours had rained on the village since noon. Some reside