Candles, Prayers and Tears: Commemorating the Indian Ocean Tsunami 20 Years Later

In remembrance of the tragedy that claimed some 230,000 lives, survivors and relatives of those who died in the Indian Ocean tsunami 20 years ago visited mass graves, lit candles and consoled one another throughout Southeast and South Asia on Thursday. A 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province caused the tsunami on December 26th 2004 which sent waves as high as 17.4 meters (57 feet) crashing into the shores of nine different nations including Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.

More than half of the deaths occurred in Indonesia where hundreds of survivors and the victim’s relatives visited a mass grave in the village of Ulee Lheue and scattered flower petals on the stones marking the graves. Many were sobbing and embracing their loved ones. Many were buried nameless so some people said they weren’t sure if their loved ones were there. Additionally, hundreds of people sat in silence for three minutes before joining in prayer at the Grand Baiturrahman Mosque in Aceh’s front yard for a memorial service.

According to a brief statement from the nation’s disaster management center, Sri Lanka observed the day with two minutes of quiet at the Peraliya Tsunami Memorial Statue in the town of Galle.

People in Tamil Nadu, the most affected state in India lit candles and said prayers in remembrance of those who died twenty years ago. The people who died in Tamil Nadu have been collected and buried under a one big pit as they ran out of places to bury the deceased while the cruel goodbyes are making their heart more heavy.

Thailand held religious ceremonies for the deceased to commemorate the occasion close to Ban Nam Khem village in southern Phang Nga province. To honor departed loved ones, hundreds of people flocked to the Tsunami Wall, a memorial site adjacent to the location of the ceremonies. Also one of Thailand’s most severely affected regions, Phang Nga lost 5,400 residents in which many of them were foreign visitors.