At rituals held throughout Asia on Thursday, tearful mourners lit candles and offered prayers in remembrance of the 220,000 people who perished in one of the biggest tragedies in history two decades ago when a tsunami struck the Indian Ocean’s shores.
The coastline of 14 nations, from Indonesia to Somalia, was battered by waves as high as 30 meters (98 ft) caused by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake that struck off the western edge of Indonesia on December 26, 2004.
A siren sounded at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Aceh Province, Indonesia, where the tsunami struck hours later, killing over 100,000 people. The memorials were held throughout the region, including in Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.
