It has been 16 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed more than 220,000 people, in 26 days.
The memorial ceremony held in Aceh, Indonesia, which was the most affected area, was broadcast on the Internet as a countermeasure against the infection of the new coronavirus, and the victims were mourned.
The huge earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004, caused a tsunami to flood a wide area from Southeast Asia to eastern Africa, killing and missing more than 220,000 people in total.
In Aceh, Indonesia, where more than 160,000 people were killed, a memorial service was held from 8 am local time, almost the same time as the earthquake, and prayers and songs were offered to the victims.
Thousands of people, including bereaved families and local government officials, attend the ceremony each year, but this time around 130 people attended due to infection control, and it was broadcast on the Internet.
In addition, from Miyagi Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, a citizen group that has continued to interact with the people of Aceh sent a video message and said, "I have been trying to pass it on to posterity as a person who has experienced the same tsunami. Let's meet again. "
Reconstruction is progressing in Aceh, and houses and shops are being built even in areas that have suffered great damage, but on the other hand, people's sense of caution about the tsunami is diminishing.
A 50-year-old man who lost his wife and two children in the tsunami said, "I feel like I've lost everything. I think we should continue basic disaster prevention training."