A FORMER Tavistock resident now living in Bali this week gave her reaction to Saturday night?s horrific bomb attack in Kuta.
Rachel Lovelock has lived in Bali for four years ? she was with friends about a mile away from Kuta when the bomb went off in a crowded nightspot.
Rachel said: ?We heard a massive explosion, felt a shake and saw a bright flash and within minutes, a huge black cloud rose up into the sky ? the blast could be heard and felt up to 12 kilometres away.
?Word spread very quickly by mobile phone, although the full extent of the carnage didn?t become apparent until later.
?At first we all experienced disbelief that soon gave way to real shock ? the local television coverage is really harrowing. I?ve never seen pictures like this on TV before and I don?t think they have been broadcast in Australia or the UK.?
She said Kuta is a busy tourist destination which becomes very congested during the evening.
The Sari Club, where the bomb went off, was one of the most popular nightspots for young tourists.
Rachel said: ?The club was nearly always full, especially from 11pm onwards. Paddy?s, the pub on the opposite side of the road, was also regularly packed out.?
Following the attack, Rachel visited the main hospital in Denpasar to donate blood. She said the hospital authorities were struggling to cope and said it was very distressing to see the extent of the injuries, including loss of limbs and dreadful burns.
Rachel has been trying to help people trace missing relatives and friends in the aftermath of the bomb, which blew apart the Sari Club and sparked the fire which destroyed Paddy?s Pub and adjacent buildings.
She said: ?I have already learnt of several acquaintances, local and Western, who have died.
?One of my close friends was very lucky. She parked her car outside the Sari Club and nearly went into Paddy?s but then decided to go to a quieter bar, very close by. She said after the deafening explosion everyone started screaming and running ? she got out OK but her car was blown apart.?
Rachel said she has since heard many stories of lucky escapes from people who had planned to visit Kuta for the evening, then changed their mind.
Rachel said: ?One of my friends from Tavistock who visited me here three years ago, commented by e-mail ?How could this happen in Bali, it seemed to be such a happy island??
?It has always been promoted as safe and this was reflected in Kuta?s happy party atmosphere.
?The Balinese are Hindus, they believe their beautiful island is a gift from the gods ? for this, they give thanks by leaving millions of offerings in every shrine, doorstep, nook and cranny.?
Rachel said apart from the immediate effects of the bombing, she feared for the longer term repercussions of the incident, including the damage to the Balinese tourist trade, the island?s principal industry, and the social and political changes which could ensue.
Rachel said she has been ?overwhelmed? by the caring thoughts of friends and thanked everyone from Tavistock who has contacted her by phone and e-mail since Saturday night.
Rachel Lovelock can be contacted at [email protected]">[email protected]