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| Southeast Asia |
| Survivors and mourners mark anniversary of tsunami |
| 2005-12-25 |
| Survivors and grieving relatives today held ceremonies marking the first anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami. The massive wave swept away at least 216,000 people in one of the world's worst natural disasters in living memory on Boxing Day. Western tourists who returned to the beaches of southern Thailand where they were caught in the disaster were among hundreds of people who launched boats laden with flowers, candles and incense to ward off evil spirits. Ceremonies in Thailand today were the first of hundreds due to be held to mark the disaster's grim anniversary in the dozen countries hit by the waves last year. In Indonesia's Aceh province, the tsunami resulted in a cease-fire between the government and separatist guerrillas and thousands of people have moved into new homes built with some of the billions of dollars in foreign aid that poured in after the disaster. But aid agencies say 80 per cent of Indonesians who lost their homes are still waiting for a new one. In Sri Lanka, troops today patrolled the streets of the capital, Colombo, amid boosted security for ceremonies marking the tsunami's anniversary. Disputes over aid delivery and an upsurge in violence blamed on separatist Tamil Tiger rebels have dashed hopes that the tsunami would bring a final end to the country's civil conflict. Exactly one year ago on Monday, the most powerful earthquake in four decades - measuring 9.0 - ripped apart the ocean floor off Sumatra, displacing millions of tons of water and spawning giant waves that spread in all directions, picking up speed as they neared land. The surging walls of water levelled buildings and swept heavy trucks miles inland. Entire villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka were swept away and five-star resorts in Thailand were swamped. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |