Sirens echoed across Indonesia on Tuesday as survivors and relatives of victims began memorial ceremonies marking 20 years since the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which remains the deadliest in recorded history.
On 26 December 2004, a massive undersea earthquake of magnitude 9.3 struck 240 kilometres off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake triggered a tsunami that raced across the Indian Ocean at a speed of 800 kilometres per hour, wreaking havoc on 14 countries. Entire communities in Southeast Asia were obliterated, with the waves reaching as far as East Africa.
The disaster claimed 227,898 lives, although some estimates suggest the true death toll could be much higher.
In Banda Aceh, one of the hardest-hit cities in Indonesia, sirens blared for three minutes at the exact time the earthquake struck, setting off the catastrophic chain of events. Memorial ceremonies in the city launched a series of remembrance events across the region to honour the victims.
The 2004 tsunami remains a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities of coastal communities and the enduring need for robust disaster preparedness and early warning systems.
