Spasi-id.com - Hundreds of survivors and families of Indian Ocean tsunamis commemorated 20 years of events, Thursday (26 / 12) in various regions of Aceh, where more than half of 230,000 victims were killed in total.
The families and relatives of the victims gathered in a mass grave in Ulee Lheue Village, spawning flowers in tombstone. Many of them cried and hugged each other.
Locals, 52-year-old Nurkhalis, lost wife, children, parents and in-laws in tsunamis and a 9.1 magnitudo earthquake triggered it. None of his family's remains were found.
"This year is actually almost exactly the same as the previous years. Although time has gone by so far, but the same feeling in each date has always haunted us, especially those who lost family at the time," reveal the Nurkhalis.
In Indonesia
On December 26, 2004, a 9.15 magnitudo earthquake off the coast of the Aceh province, triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 226,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and nine other countries.
The Aceh province is the most impacted, where as many as 128,858 people are dead, statistically composed by the government and aid agencies. As many as 572,926 were evacuated and 179,312 buildings and homes were destroyed in the province, after the tsunami swallowed most of the coastal areas.
Meanwhile, Thailand commemorated 20 years of the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 in Phang Nga Province, South Thailand, on Thursday, by performing religious rituals for the victims.
People also visited a tsunami warning wall near Ban Nam Khem Village, where ceremonies are held, to pay homage to loved ones who have lost their lives. Phang Nga is one of Thailand's worst affected provinces, with 5,400 casualties, including many foreign tourists.
Sirius Urai, 62-year-old local, who lost his four-year-old daughter 20 years ago, was present to pay his respects.
"I felt the waves take away my daughter, I was very angry with her. So I couldn't get close to him, couldn't even set foot in his sand. I would never have come here if I didn't have to. The sea snatched my daughter from me," said Sirius.
In the state of Tamil Nadu, India, a tsunami warning was made by offering milk, flowers and prayers.
Survivors and families of the victims in Chennai City and Zookudi lit a candle, offered flowers, and prayed on Thursday for those who lost their lives because of the disaster.
According to UNESCO, more than 16,200 people in India were killed or lost due to the tsunami. About 730,000 people evacuated.
Hundreds of thousands of buildings and homes were damaged or destroyed by a massive wave that hit Tamil Nadu's coastline in India. [rd / jm]
