20 Years On, Tamil Nadu Recalls 2004 Tsunami's Devastation
December 26 marks 20 years since a devastating tsunami struck the coasts of several countries bordering the Indian Ocean, including Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. 20 years on, survivors recalled being struck by towering waves, which seemed to rise to the skies, sweeping away children, pregnant women, and the elderly in moments. The families in Kulachal and Kottilpadu were hit the hardest by the calamity, where entire households were wiped out.
"December 24, at 10 in the morning, I was feeding my children idiyappam and puri. A big wave came and swept away my kids to death...I didn't know it was Tsunami. I wanted to save my kids so brought them inside the house. We were living in a hut which was destroyed," a survivor said.
