Chennai: The 12th anniversary of the killer tsunami that caused massive destruction in the state in 2004 was observed across the state with people mourning the dead and fishermen keeping off the seas.
Fisheries minister D. Jayakumar and handloom minister O. S. Manian paid tributes here and at Nagapattinam. Prayers and tributes were held in Chennai and Nagapattinam, with the latter bearing the brunt of the killer waves, besides others, including Cuddalore and Kanniyakumari. Women poured milk into the sea as a mark of respect to the departed ones while candle light and floral tributes were paid by people for their relatives consumed by the sea.
At Nagapattinam, when the clock struck 9:17 am, people rose to observe a minute’s silence to pay homage to the persons who lost their lives. District Collector S. Pazhanisamy and other officials participated in silent marches, candle processions and floral tributes.
At Vailankanni, a special mass was conducted at the Shrine Basillica in memory of the victims. A silent procession was also held.
At Nagore, tributes were paid to those buried in the land owned by the Dargah. The graveyard of the dargah of Saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hameed Quadir Wali at Nagore, which is more than 500 years old, witnessed mass burials 12 years ago.
Memorials were also held in neighbouring Karaikal. Hundreds of fishermen from 12 affected villages in the district took out silent processions, placed wreaths and lit candles at the memorial sites.
Puducherry agriculture minister Kamalakannan, district collector P. Parthiban and other officials paid floral tributes at Nandalar memorial ite.
In fishing hamlets such as Pattinacherry, Karaikalmedu and Kottucherrymedu, people hoisted black flags in memory of the departed and decorated photographs of victims with flowers. Triggered by earthquake in Indonesia, a tsunami struck the TN coast on December 26 morning, a Sunday, causing massive damage to life and property.
Nagapattinam faced the maximum fury of the natural disaster even as other coastal districts like Chennai, Cuddalore and Tiruvallore suffered. Nearly 7,000 people died that day.
