Tears flow for tsunami victims

Chennai: Floral tributes and processions were held across the state on Friday to mark the 10th anniversary of the tsunami that struck the statea claiming about 7,000 lives and leaving a trail of destruction. Memorial services were held across the coastal districts including Chennai, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam which were worst hit by huge waves after an undersea earthquake in Sumitra Islands off Indonesia.

 Commemorating the anniversary, fishermen associations had arranged for prayers and memorial services with relatives of victims pouring milk in the sea at the Marina Beach, Foreshore Estate and Kasimedu fishing harbour in Chennai as a mark of respect to the departed souls. In Pulicat, over 2,000 fishermen took out a procession and offered a prayer remembering those who lost their lives in the deadly tsunami. In the coastal areas of Nagapattinam district, people  observed a minute’s silence to pay homage to the 2004  victims.  

In all the 72 tsunami-hit hamlets, people were seen paying homage to the departed souls and many were seen  sobbing.   Banners and hoardings containing photos of the victims were erected at many places.Floral tributes were paid at the tsunami memorial park  while at Velankanni, a special mass was conducted at the Shrine Basillica in memory of the victims.  A silent procession was also taken out. All the shops  at Velankanni remained closed as a mark of respect to the victims.

Fishermen in the district also did not venture into  the sea on Friday.  A similar programme was held at Idinthakarai with people attending a morning mass and later pouring milk in the sea to remember their relatives. Hundreds of fishermen from 12 villages ravaged by the  tsunami at Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry took out silent processions and placed wreaths and lit candles at the memorial sites.