20 Years On: Sri Lanka Remembers the Lives Lost in the 2004 Tsunami Tragedy

COLOMBO (News 1st); Today marks 20 years since one of the darkest days in the history of Sri Lanka. 

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. 

The word Tsunami was unfamiliar to us Sri Lankans, until the wave that changed us forever, took away thousands of precious lives on that fateful day, 20 years ago. 

On the morning of 26 December 2004, while many were spending their vacation after Christmas, a massive undersea earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale triggered a tsunami that charged across the Indian Ocean.

Moments later News 1st was informed that tremors were experienced across multiple locations.

Thereafter, information was received noting that the ocean water flooded the coastal areas of Trincomalee.

Two hours after the earthquake, at exactly 9.26 AM the tsunami struck Sri Lanka at a speed of 800 kmph.

This was the largest natural disaster experienced in Sri Lankan history.

Across 14 countries in the Asian region, a total of 227,898 people lost their lives, and in Sri Lanka, approximately 35,000 people died.

The tsunami washed away a packed commuter train in Peraliya with the loss of 1270 lives – the world's worst-ever train disaster.

141 lives are still unaccounted for.

Understanding the gravity of this disaster News 1st went beyond the score of simply reporting on the tsunami, and the Capital Maharaja Group launched a series of programs on several avenues.

The line-up of the live program that was launched brings back the memories of from 20 years ago.

While delivering verified information to the public, News 1st also launched a program to support the families of the victims to recovery.

The Sahana Yathra was launched to support our fellow Sri Lankans who were left with nothing except for what they were wearing on that day.

United as one, Sri Lankans started to recover from the 2004 tsunami tragedy.

20 years later we remember the victims of this disaster, praying that such an event does not take place again in Sri Lanka.