The Boxing Day tsunami interrupted a civil war, triggered the worst rail accident in history and shattered the lives of millions. Twenty years on, those who escaped certain death share their stories.
The Boxing Day tsunami interrupted a civil war, triggered the worst rail accident in history and shattered the lives of millions. Twenty years on, the survivors share their incredible stories.A disaster so big it sped up our planet's rotation and left almost a quarter of a million people dead."I saw this huge, black, 40-foot wave coming and instantly thought: 'We're all going to die.'"The tsunami carried the energy equivalent of 23,000 atomic bombs.
It was around 9am on Sunday, December 26, a weekend of celebration — the day after Christmas, and the Buddhist full moon.While authorities had managed to stop all other trains that morning, the Matara Express slipped through the cracks. "When I first saw it, it was this huge, black wave from the edge of the ocean to the middle, and it was coming straight towards us," said Karunathilaka.Although it's been 20 years, Karunathilaka's trauma remains unresolved and not a day goes by where he doesn't replay it in his mind:
"My brother's friends went to look for him where we heard the train had been stopped, but they couldn't find them, there were just piles and piles of bodies." Their bond has grown stronger and even though they are all that's left of their family, they have their community around them. While Jum and another reporter were interviewing Wanlapha about her experience, she mentioned a longing for more children.Immediately, the reporter, Mark Dowd, made an offer."I was kind of shocked. I didn't even translate it at first because I didn't want to get her hopes up for nothing," she said.Wanlapha soon went to her first IVF session.She named the baby Wisarut, but the doctor was so surprised that he called his birth a "fluke". The nickname stuck.
Boxing Day Earthquake 2004 2024 Indonesia Sri Lanka Thailand India Waves Disaster Worst In History Deadliest Tsunami Natural Disaster
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Boxing Day Test to get Bollywood transformation and three-day summer festival7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Read more »
Black Friday Sales in Australia Expected to Surpass Boxing DayBlack Friday sales in Australia are projected to surpass Boxing Day sales and are drawing criticism for driving unsustainable consumerism. Record spending of $6.7 billion is predicted over the weekend, with some brands choosing to opt out of the event due to concerns over overconsumption.
Read more »
Ray Martin Recalls the Heartbreaking Impact of the Boxing Day TsunamiIn an interview for the documentary 'Tsunami: 20 Years On', Ray Martin shares his haunting memories of the Boxing Day Tsunami that struck Indonesia in 2004, particularly focusing on the personal stories of survivors he met in Banda Aceh. He recounts meeting Yunan, a carpenter whose wife and daughter perished, highlighting the emotional devastation of the disaster.
Read more »
Haunted by the Boxing Day tsunami, Ray Martin faces his fearsThe journalist returned to Indonesia for the documentary Tsunami: 20 Years On to find what once was a ‘hellhole’ is now a ‘humble, human place’.
Read more »
Haunted by the Boxing Day tsunami, Ray Martin faces his fearsThe journalist returned to Indonesia for the documentary Tsunami: 20 Years On to find what once was a ‘hellhole’ is now a ‘humble, human place’.
Read more »
‘Be in the game or suffer’: ‘Black November’ is reshaping Christmas and Boxing Day salesWith end-of-year sales ‘marathon’ starting earlier and earlier in November, Australian retailers are rewriting their battle plans.
Read more »