People began gathering in prayer on Thursday, visiting mass graves in Indonesia’s Aceh province to mark 20 years since the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami, one of the worst natural disasters in modern history.
Many wept openly at the mass grave in the village of Uli Leue, where more than 14,000 unidentified and unclaimed victims of the tsunami are buried. It is one of several mass graves in Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia’s northernmost province. It was one of the worst affected areas by the earthquake and tsunami, along with the Aceh Besar region.
A powerful 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on December 26, 2004. triggered a tsunami that killed an estimated 230,000 people in a dozen countries, reaching as far as East Africa.
About 1.7 million people were displaced, mostly in the four most affected countries: Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. More than 170,000 people died in Indonesia alone.
Although 20 years have passed, the grief remains and survivors still remember their loved ones lost to the giant waves that leveled buildings in most of Aceh’s coastal areas – as far as the city of Banda Aceh.
CBC News correspondent Evan Solomon reports from Banda Aceh, Indonesia on the devastating effects of the 2004 tsunami.
The infrastructure in Aceh has been rebuilt and is now more resilient than it was before the tsunami. Early warning systems are installed in coastal areas to warn residents of potential tsunamis, providing crucial time to seek safety.
Recovery efforts were made possible by the support of international donors and organizations that contributed significant funds to help the region recover.
Schools, hospitals and basic infrastructure that were destroyed by the disaster were reconstructed with increased strength and durability, ensuring better preparedness for future challenges.
The tsunami also claimed the lives of over 8,000 people in Thailand, including many who remain unaccounted for, leaving a deep mark on the nation’s history. Nearly 400 bodies remain unidentified and unclaimed.
https://i.cbc.ca/1.7419025.1735181940!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_1180/aptopix-indonesia-asia-tsunami-anniversary.jpg?im=Resize%3D620
2024-12-26 02:35:28