Sri Lanka commemorates Tsunami Day to remember victims of disaster

Sri Lanka on Monday observed minutes of silence to remember the thousands of victims who died in a devastating tsunami in 2004.

The National Disaster Management Center requested the public to observe two minutes of silence and said that religious observances and awareness programs were held in 25 district disaster management centers across the country.

Following the devastating Tsunami Disaster in 2004, Dec. 26 has been declared as the "National Safety Day" in Sri Lanka, the Disaster Management Center said.

Over 30,000 people were killed and millions more displaced when massive tsunami waves struck the coastal areas of Sri Lanka, 12 years ago, in the worst disaster to strike the Indian Ocean island.

The tsunami was triggered by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra.

source: Xinhua