EIGHT workers were busy repairing a dam on the edge of Deah Baro village, Meuraxa, Banda Aceh, on Thursday last week. It was apparent that the salt water barrier had a severe crack at that point. Fissures were also found at some other places although they were not so serious.

Ironically, the 1.9-kilometer-long dam, functioning to prevent seawater from inundating local settlements when the tide is high, was ready only a month ago. The dam stretches