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People began gathering in prayer Thursday, visiting mass graves in the Indonesian province of Aceh 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 Ulee Lheue, where more than 14,000 unidentified and unclaimed tsunami victims are buried. It is one of several mass graves in Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia’s northernmost province. It was one of the areas most affected by the earthquake and tsunami, along with the Aceh Besar district.
A powerful magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on December 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami that killed about 230,000 people in a dozen countries and reached as far as East Africa.
Around 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 pain persists and the survivors still remember their loved ones, lost by the giant waves that destroyed buildings in most of the coastal areas of Aceh, all the way to the city of Banda Aceh.
SEE | CBC reports from Banda Aceh in 2004:
CBC News correspondent Evan Solomon reports from Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on the devastating effects of the 2004 tsunami.
Aceh’s infrastructure has been rebuilt and is now more resilient than before the tsunami. Early warning systems have been installed in coastal areas to alert residents of possible tsunamis, providing crucial time to seek safety.
Reconstruction efforts were made possible thanks to the support of donors and international organizations, which contributed significant funds to help the region recover.
Schools, hospitals and essential infrastructure that were destroyed by the disaster have been rebuilt with greater strength and durability, ensuring better preparation for future challenges.
The tsunami also claimed the lives of more than 8,000 people in Thailand, including many who are still missing, leaving a deep scar on the nation’s history. Almost 400 bodies remain unidentified and unclaimed.
