NEW DELHI: On December 26, 2004, more than 230,000 people, mostly in southern Asia, were killed by a 100-foot-high tsunami triggered by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean.
The tsunami was triggered by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean near the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Several Indian fishermen and a large number of civilians who had gone to Velankanni to celebrate Christmas died due to the disaster.
On the deadly occassion's 18th anniversary, Tamil Nadu fishermen paid tributes to the victims by pouring milk into the sea and sprinkling flowers.
A large number of people gathered in the coastal districts including fishermen of Cuddalore, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari to pay their tributes to the 2004 tsunami victims on Monday.
People living along the shoreline from Chennai to Kanyakumari, took out a silent procession to the beach and paid tearful homage by pouring milk into the sea and sprinkling flowers.
In Nagapattinam district where about 6,065 people died, the fisherfolk, accompanied by public, traders and political party members took out a massive procession and paid tribute at Akkaraipettai.
At Nagore, tributes were paid at the mass burial site on the land owned by the dargah. At several places, candles were lit and banners and hoardings containing the photos of the victims were put up, according to president of South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association Ku Bharathi.
With agency inputs
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