On December 26, 2004, nature unleashed it's first angry tantrum in what turned out to be a year of heart wrenching scenes of destruction in different parts of the world.
A year ago, the world was overwhelmed with the pictures and stories emanating from Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Somalia after the unpredictable wall of water devastated the area. Yesteday, memorials were held around the globe, but none more poignant than the vigils held on the beaches in the 13 countries where 222,000 lives were killed or listed as missing. Entire towns and villages were destroyed.
Survivors in Thailand launched a boat laden with flowers, candles and incense and said prayers for the dead. Beachfront ceremonies in Thailand were the first of hundreds due to be held to mark the disaster's grim anniversary in the dozen countries hit by the earthquake-spawned waves last Dec. 26.
At Bang Niang beach in Thailand's Phang Nga province, Western tourists who were caught in the disaster joined locals early Saturday to placed offerings into a brightly colored, bird-shaped boat that was floated into the Andaman Sea as members of the Moken, or sea gypsy, tribe chanted and banged drums. The Moken believe the ceremony helps ward off evil spirits.
Sri Lanka paid tribute to more than 30,000 people who were killed on the island. Small private ceremonies were held to mark the moment the waves struck. Thousands of people lit coconut oil lamps on beaches on the southern coast after dark. The government held the official ceremony at Peraliya on the southern coast, where more than 1,000 people died when a train was swamped by the incoming water. Temple bells rang out. Buddhist and Muslim priest chanted blessings and everyone fell silent for two minutes.
In the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India, a memorial column was unveiled in the worst hit district, where more than 6,000 people died. The huge waves also claimed the lives of thousands of people in the Andaman and Nicobar Island, where some of the most primitive tribal communities in the world lived. As part of the memorial vigil, groups of people walked from village to village in silence, in memory of those who lost their lives.
In Banda Aceh, survivors wept and prayed beside mass graves and at beachside memorials. Mourners filled mosques in Indonesia's shattered Aceh province, the region hit hardest. Survivors relived the terrible awe they felt when the sea rose as high as 33 feet and surged inland for miles with seemingly unstoppable force, carrying along trees, houses, train cars -- and thousands of people -- in a churning rush.
Somalis gathered in mosques along the east African nation's coast to remember the 289 people who disappeared in the waves and to pray for the tens of thousands still homeless.
Each one of us is left with certain pictures from the disaster that pulled at our humanity. I'll never forget the interview with a European woman who was holding her toddler, while her 5 year old looked on. She spoke of her experience, left alone with her two children at a beachfront restaurant while her husband had returned to their hotel room for something, when the wave struck. Unable to hold onto both children, she had to make a choice to let go of the hand of her 5 year old and hope that someone else would save him. As I watched this interview, I was struck by the devastating fear and sadness on the little blonde boy standing alone, looking at his mom while she spoke openly about choosing his brother over him. I have thought many times about that scene, wondering what I would do if faced with a choice like that, but more importantly wondering how that little boy is doing now. Is he so traumatized by his experience of almost being swallowed up by the tsunami and by his own interpretation of being abandoned? Will he be scarred forever, his childhood innocence gone at the age of 5?
The other story that will always stay with me is about a little boy as well who was on the train in Sri Lanka with his mother and sisters when the wave engulfed them. Somehow, he miraculously survived and after a few days, was reunited with his father. The reunion was powerful and glorious, but it was combined with the devastating mournful grief of losing the rest of their family, home and village. How are they doing now? Does their love of one another, and the feeling that they were part of a miracle amongst a disaster give them strength to plan their future and move forward?
The tsunami generated one of the most generous outpourings of foreign aid ever known -- some $13 billion in pledges. But frustration is growing among the 1.4 million people still living in tents, plywood barracks or with family and friends. Nearly 2 million people lost their homes after the tsunami. The grief and hardship continue. The emotional scars will live on.
Take a moment to send your thoughts of hope and love......................
A year ago, the world was overwhelmed with the pictures and stories emanating from Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Somalia after the unpredictable wall of water devastated the area. Yesteday, memorials were held around the globe, but none more poignant than the vigils held on the beaches in the 13 countries where 222,000 lives were killed or listed as missing. Entire towns and villages were destroyed.
Survivors in Thailand launched a boat laden with flowers, candles and incense and said prayers for the dead. Beachfront ceremonies in Thailand were the first of hundreds due to be held to mark the disaster's grim anniversary in the dozen countries hit by the earthquake-spawned waves last Dec. 26.
At Bang Niang beach in Thailand's Phang Nga province, Western tourists who were caught in the disaster joined locals early Saturday to placed offerings into a brightly colored, bird-shaped boat that was floated into the Andaman Sea as members of the Moken, or sea gypsy, tribe chanted and banged drums. The Moken believe the ceremony helps ward off evil spirits.
Sri Lanka paid tribute to more than 30,000 people who were killed on the island. Small private ceremonies were held to mark the moment the waves struck. Thousands of people lit coconut oil lamps on beaches on the southern coast after dark. The government held the official ceremony at Peraliya on the southern coast, where more than 1,000 people died when a train was swamped by the incoming water. Temple bells rang out. Buddhist and Muslim priest chanted blessings and everyone fell silent for two minutes.
In the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India, a memorial column was unveiled in the worst hit district, where more than 6,000 people died. The huge waves also claimed the lives of thousands of people in the Andaman and Nicobar Island, where some of the most primitive tribal communities in the world lived. As part of the memorial vigil, groups of people walked from village to village in silence, in memory of those who lost their lives.
In Banda Aceh, survivors wept and prayed beside mass graves and at beachside memorials. Mourners filled mosques in Indonesia's shattered Aceh province, the region hit hardest. Survivors relived the terrible awe they felt when the sea rose as high as 33 feet and surged inland for miles with seemingly unstoppable force, carrying along trees, houses, train cars -- and thousands of people -- in a churning rush.
Somalis gathered in mosques along the east African nation's coast to remember the 289 people who disappeared in the waves and to pray for the tens of thousands still homeless.
Each one of us is left with certain pictures from the disaster that pulled at our humanity. I'll never forget the interview with a European woman who was holding her toddler, while her 5 year old looked on. She spoke of her experience, left alone with her two children at a beachfront restaurant while her husband had returned to their hotel room for something, when the wave struck. Unable to hold onto both children, she had to make a choice to let go of the hand of her 5 year old and hope that someone else would save him. As I watched this interview, I was struck by the devastating fear and sadness on the little blonde boy standing alone, looking at his mom while she spoke openly about choosing his brother over him. I have thought many times about that scene, wondering what I would do if faced with a choice like that, but more importantly wondering how that little boy is doing now. Is he so traumatized by his experience of almost being swallowed up by the tsunami and by his own interpretation of being abandoned? Will he be scarred forever, his childhood innocence gone at the age of 5?
The other story that will always stay with me is about a little boy as well who was on the train in Sri Lanka with his mother and sisters when the wave engulfed them. Somehow, he miraculously survived and after a few days, was reunited with his father. The reunion was powerful and glorious, but it was combined with the devastating mournful grief of losing the rest of their family, home and village. How are they doing now? Does their love of one another, and the feeling that they were part of a miracle amongst a disaster give them strength to plan their future and move forward?
The tsunami generated one of the most generous outpourings of foreign aid ever known -- some $13 billion in pledges. But frustration is growing among the 1.4 million people still living in tents, plywood barracks or with family and friends. Nearly 2 million people lost their homes after the tsunami. The grief and hardship continue. The emotional scars will live on.
Take a moment to send your thoughts of hope and love......................
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