Thousands gather to commemorate tsunami victims island wide

Thousands of relatives whose loved ones perished in the deadly tsunami on this day twenty years ago were commemorated across the island today. 

A two-minute silence was also observed nationwide today from 9:25 to 9:27 AM in remembrance of all those who perished in the 2004 tsunami and other natural calamities in Sri Lanka. 

The Disaster Management Center (DMC) organized steps to observe ‘National Safety Day’ at the district level across the island, with the main event scheduled to take place in front of the Peraliya Tsunami Memorial Statue in Galle.

Today (Dec. 26) marks the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, one of the world’s deadliest and most destructive natural disasters, which impacted over 10 countries in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka was one of the hardest-hit countries with over 40,000 fatalities and property damage worth several million rupees. 

Twenty years after the deadly tsunami of December 26, 2004 brought death and destruction to the country, Tharushi Weerasinghe visits the southern coast

“I felt utterly betrayed by the ocean—it gave me palpitations just to look at it, which felt wrong, as though a lifelong friend, integral to my identity, had suddenly turned on me and taken almost everything I had,” says tsunami survivor Shamali Dickumburage.

On Thursday, a week away from the 20th anniversary of the Boxing Day tsunami, that left a trail of death and destruction, the Sunday Times visited the southern coast to speak with survivors.

Read the Sunday Times commemorative piece here.