Delhi, India – Communities in Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami on Thursday, reflecting on the catastrophic event that claimed over 230,000 lives across 14 countries.
In Indonesia’s Aceh province, where more than 170,000 people perished, prayers were held and flowers laid at mass graves in Banda Aceh.
Survivors like Muhamad Amirudin, who lost two children in the disaster, gathered to honour the memory of their loved ones. Sirens marked the exact time the magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck, triggering the deadly tsunami.
Aceh’s infrastructure has since been rebuilt with international support, incorporating advanced early warning systems to mitigate future disasters.
In Thailand, memorials were held in Ban Nam Khem, a fishing village devastated by the tsunami.
Survivors laid flowers at a memorial site, with multi-faith prayers offered in remembrance of the over 8,000 lives lost, including 400 unclaimed bodies.
In India, crowds assembled at Chennai’s Marina Beach to perform rituals and offer prayers for the nearly 11,000 victims, most of whom were from Tamil Nadu.
In Sri Lanka, mourners gathered at Pereliya to remember victims of the tragic “Queen of the Sea” train disaster, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives.
Survivors and families across the nation observed two minutes of silence for the 35,000 people who perished.
The commemorations served as a poignant reminder of the disaster’s enduring impact on the region.