A year ago, this day, a giant wave swept into a dozen Indian Ocean rim countries, drowning whatever came in its way. The final count of the dead and the missing is still unknown. And countries are still measuring the losses. We take a flashback:
On 26th December, 2004, a few hours after Christmas celebrations, an underwater earthquake measuring 9 on the Richter scale hit the Indian Ocean south of Sumatra at around 0629 hrs (IST).
It triggered-off a powerful current of waves, known as tsunami. Racing at 800 kilometers per hour, these waves swept the coast of Aceh, Indonesia, within 15 minutes. They hit Sri Lanka within the next three hours and India half an hour later.
Fifteen countries faced the tsunami wrath. United Nations places the number of dead, including those missing, at over two lakh. While over 15 lakh people lost their livelihood, over 20 lakh were displaced.
The total damages stand at $10.73 billion and more than three lakh houses were reduced to rubble.
Indonesia and Srilanka were the worst hit countires.
In Indonesia, the toll of dead and missing was put at 1,69,000; while in Srilanka, 35,329 people were killed or remained unaccounted for.
In India estimates put the casualty and missing count at at 16,000 and over 27 lakh people in about 1,000 villages were affected.
Tsunami's bundles of joy From rags to riches Once upon a time... Tsunami warning system for India Tree of Life Many areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were lost for ever.
The Government places the overall damages in India at $2.56 billion. The maximum damage occurred in fisheries, housing and infrastructure sectors.
Millions of survivors still rely on assistance from the international community but many more are trying to get back on their feet.
As the killer waves receded, destruction, misery and sorrow was all it left behind. However, a year later, there's hope, there's a reason to believe and there are touching stories of the indomitable human spirit.
It is our attempt at CNN-IBN to remember those gone, and more importantly to celebrate what is left.
Comments
0 comment