R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, DEC 26
The family members of those who lost their kith and kin in the deadly Tsunami that struck the coastal villages in Tamil Nadu remembered them on Thursday. To mark the 15th anniversary of the disaster, slew of events to pay tributes to those who lost their life was observed.
On December 26, 2004, Tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake in Indonesia struck the south Indian coast on a Sunday morning.
Giant waves swallowed many, with Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanniyakumari districts bearing the brunt, even as nearly 7,000 people were killed and hundreds of families were displaced in the state.
On Thursday, fishermen living near sea shore observed the anniversary by taking out candle processions and paying floral tributes at memorials.
When the clock struck 9:17 am, people observed a minute’s silence to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the tsunami.
In an event organised at Nagapattinam Collectorate complex, floral tributes were paid at the Tsunami memorial park. At Nagore, tributes were paid to those who were buried in the land owned by the Dargah.
The graveyard of the dargah of over 500 year-old Saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hameed Quadir Wali witnessed mass burials 15 years ago. Of the over 300 bodies buried then, nearly 150 were that of Muslims while the rest were Hindus and Christians.
At Tarangambadi, a multi-faith prayer was held. In Kanniyakumari district, family members of victims took out candle light procession in Melamanakkudi, Kottilpadu and other fishing hamlets and paid floral tributes.
In different places, as part of the memorials, flowers were strewn on the sea while milk was poured, even as people were seen getting emotional remembering the deceased ones.
Candles were also lit to mark the day while banners and hoardings containing the photos of the victims had been erected at many places.
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