Asia remembers devastating 2004 tsunami with prayers, memorial services

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Reuters

BY GAYATRI SUROYO

Survivors of Asia's 2004 tsunami and relatives of its 226,000 victims gather along shorelines of the Indian Ocean on Friday for prayers and memorial services to mark the 10th anniversary of a disaster that still leaves an indelible mark on the region.

When a 9.15-magnitude quake opened a faultline deep beneath the ocean a decade ago on Dec. 26, it triggered a wave as high as 17.4 meters (57 feet) which crashed ashore in more than a dozen countries, wiping some communities off the map in seconds.

In some places, survivors have still not recovered their lives fully, complaining of shoddy and uneven reconstruction. In Indonesia's Aceh province, where 168,000 people were killed, the tsunami helped end a long-running separatist conflict.

On Thursday night, mass prayers were held at Aceh's Grand Mosque, one of only a few buildings that withstood the wave. Local Muslims see spiritual significance in its survival.

FULL story at link.

http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20141225&t=2&i=1005894746&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=700&pl=378&r=LYNXMPEABO08Y

1 OF 6. Acehnese women attend a mass prayer for the 2004 tsunami victims at Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, December 25, 2014.
CREDIT: REUTERS/BEAWIHARTA


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/25/us-tsunami-anniversary-idUSKBN0K30PR20141225

[cosmicone]

1. I was in Phuket, Thailand just two days before the tsunami

and I was immersed in sadness when I returned a few months later and saw how a beautiful place was destroyed.

I hope the survivors heal and find happiness again.

[niyad]

2. k and r in remembrance