Ceremonies were being held in countries across Asia on Thursday to remember the more than 220,000 people who were killed two decades ago in the Indian Ocean Tsunami, the most deadly tsunami in history.
On 26 December 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Sumatra island, triggering huge waves that slammed into coastal communities across the Indian ocean. The waves, which towered as high as 30 metres, killed 227,899 people across 15 countries.
In Indonesia’s Aceh province, the worst hit, a siren rang out for three minutes at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque on Thursday, after which Islamic prayers were held. Families visited mass graves across Banda Aceh, the provincial capital.
The tsunami killed more than 160,000 people in Indonesia alone. The scale of the disaster meant many families were never able to identify their loved one’s remains.
In Sri Lanka, where more than 35,322 people were killed, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim ceremonies will be held across the country.
Survivors and relatives will also gather to remember victims of the Ocean Queen Express train disaster, whichsaw the train torn from its track by the tsunami’s waves. About 1,000 passengers died on board the train packed for the holidays. It was the world’s worst rail accident.
On Thursday, mourners will board the restored Ocean Queen Express, which will travel to Peraliya, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) south of Colombo, where the tragedy occurred 20 years ago.
In Thailand, unofficial vigils will be held alongside a government memorial ceremony. The tsunami devastated areas of southern Thailand, including its most popular tourist hotspots. Half of the more than 5,000 dead were foreign tourists, according to Thai government figures.
According to Unesco data, which includes those listed as both dead and missing, fatalities were recorded across 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 as far as Seychelles (2), Tanzania (13), Kenya (1), Madagascar (1) and South Africa (2).
When the tsunami struck, there was no advanced early warning system in place in the Indian Ocean. Survivors have described how many had no idea what was happening as they saw water withdraw from beaches and retreat into the ocean – a warning sign of a tsunami.
Zainal Abidin, 68, lost his wife and his youngest daughter, who was 12 years old, when the waves struck his village on the western coast of Aceh. He believes they were at a wedding party nearby when the disaster happened. He was never able to find their bodies.
“I miss my daughter so much. For three months after the tsunami I always cried as I walked around the area,” he said, speaking before the anniversary.
That morning, his daughter helped to sweep the house before going out to play with the neighbour’s children, he said. “I really love my children, but the youngest the most.”
His house and everything in his village were completely destroyed. The only way he could recognise what was once their home and land was sight of their scattered belongings.
Areas of Aceh that were ruined by the disaster have now been rebuilt, helped by international donors and organizations.
Efforts have also been made by governments and international bodies, including Unesco, to create better early warning systems. There are now three early-warning systems covering the Indian Ocean, including one in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, one based across Melbourne and Canberra, Australia, and one in Hyderabad, India.
However, gaps remain in the system, including a lack of monitoring systems for tsunamis triggered by non-seismological factors, such as underwater landslides. Experts say there is also a need for sustained education programmes in at-risk communities, to prepare for future disasters.