Asia commemorates 2004 tsunami

iStock

Memorial ceremonies have been held in communities across Asia to mark 15 years since a tsunami swept across the Indian Ocean.

Nearly 230,000 people were killed in the disaster, which was triggered by a 9.1 magnitude quake off northern Sumatra island on the morning after Christmas Day in 2004.

Waves as high as 57 feet swept over vulnerable coastal areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and nine other countries.

The Indonesian province of Aceh was the worst-hit, where more than 125,000 people were killed.

More from International

  • Multiple fatalities as truck slams into New Orleans crowd

    At least 10 people were killed and 35 or more injured when a truck intentionally drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter at high speed early on Wednesday.

  • At least 20 missing as boat sinks off Italy, seven rescued

    Seven migrants were rescued, but at least 20 are missing after their boat sank en route to Italy from Libya, the mayor of the Italian island of Lampedusa said on Wednesday.

  • Israeli strikes kill at least 17 Palestinians in Gaza

    Israeli air strikes on al-Bureij refugee camp and Jabalia town in central and northern Gaza killed at least 17 Palestinians on Wednesday, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

  • South Korea's presidential aides offer to resign amid political crisis

    Senior aides to South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol offered to resign en masse on Wednesday, a day after his office expressed regret over acting President Choi Sang-mok's approval of two new judges to a court set to decide Yoon's fate.

  • Two killed in Russian drone strike on Kyiv

    Russia launched a New Year's Day drone strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Wednesday, killing two people, wounding at least six others and damaging buildings in two districts, authorities said. Explosions boomed across the morning sky as Ukraine's air force warned of incoming drones and Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defences were repelling an enemy attack. Two floors of a residential building in central Kyiv were partially destroyed in the strike, according to the State Emergency Service. Two people were killed, it said. Photos posted by the agency showed firefighters dous