December 26, 2004, 20 years ago the tsunami in the Indian Ocean

Ceremonies today in various Asian countries to remember the victims of the most devastating tsunami of the 21st century. It was December 26, 2004 when, shortly after midnight, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra, causing a tsunami that killed almost 230 thousand people in 15 countries overlooking the Indian Ocean. Huge waves hit coastal communities in many countries in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India and the Maldives. The waves, which reached heights of up to 30 meters.

In the Indonesian province of Aceh, the hardest hit, a siren sounded for three minutes today at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, after which Islamic prayers were held. Families visited mass graves throughout Banda Aceh, the provincial capital.

The tsunami killed more than 160,000 people in Indonesia alone. The scale of the disaster meant that many families were never able to identify the remains of their loved ones.

In Sri Lanka, where more than 35,322 people have been killed, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim ceremonies will be held across the country. Survivors and relatives will also gather to remember the victims of the Ocean Queen Express train disaster, which saw the train thrown off the tracks by tsunami waves. Around 1,000 passengers died on board the packed holiday train. It was the worst train accident in the world.

In Thailand, unofficial vigils will be held alongside a government memorial ceremony. The tsunami devastated areas of southern Thailand, including its most popular tourist spots. Half of the more than 5,000 deaths were foreign tourists, according to Thai government data.

An unimaginable disaster

The earthquake that shook the ocean floor about 250 kilometers off the western coast of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, was one of the most powerful ever recorded. Its intensity caused huge portions of land on the seafloor to rise and fall, generating waves that rippled across Oceania and beyond.

Images from that day show waves engulfing beaches, villages and cities, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Over 230,000 people lost their lives in 14 countries, and millions more were displaced, forcing local communities to rebuild not only their homes, but also their lives.

Failure to alert

According to UNESCO data, which includes both the dead and missing, deaths were recorded in 15 countries: Indonesia (167,540), Sri Lanka (35,322), India (16,269), Thailand (8,212), Somalia (289) , Maldives (108), Malaysia (75), Myanmar (61), Yemen (2), Bangladesh (2) and even in the Seychelles (2), Tanzania (13), Kenya (1), Madagascar (1) and South Africa (2).

When the tsunami hit, there was no advanced early warning system in place in the Indian Ocean. Survivors described how many had no idea what was happening as they saw the water retreat from the beaches and flow back into the ocean, a warning sign of a tsunami. (Adnkronos)

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