Christmas in 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake under the Indian Ocean triggered tsunami waves that killed some 230,000 people across a dozen countries.

The powerful 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, triggered a tsunami that killed around 230,000 people across a dozen countries.

On Dec. 26, 2004, in one of the worst natural disasters of the modern era, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake spurred catastrophic waves that brought destruction and devastation to at least 12 countries. It left some 230,000 people dead, and some 1.7 million more were displaced — hitting India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand the hardest.

Survivors and families of victims visited mass graves, lit candles and comforted one another across Southeast and South Asia in ceremonies to mark the disaster that killed some 230,000 people.

The Asian tsunami that crashed into coastal communities around the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26, 2004, is this century’s deadliest natural disaster so far.

People started gathering in prayer today and visiting mass graves in Aceh, one of the worst-hit areas by the Boxing Day Indian Ocean tsunami which killed an estimated 230,000 people across a dozen countries.

A 9.1 magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean on December 26 2004 triggered the tsunami which killed more than 200,000 people. The Prime Minister was among those paying tribute, saying his thoughts are with the “millions of people who were affected”.