20 Years On, Kanyakumari Recalls Tsunami's Devastating Toll On Lives And Communities

Kanyakumari: The Indian Ocean Tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in history, marked two decades today. The devastating tsunami struck the coasts of several countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India, leaving a profound impact on thousands of lives. In Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari, survivors recall the towering waves sweeping away children, pregnant women, and the elderly within moments. 

Atlas Mary, a grieving mother, recounted the day she lost her four children. "At 10:10 am, I was feeding my kids when a big wave swept them away. I didn’t know it was a tsunami. I tried to save them, but our hut was destroyed, and I got separated from them," she said.  

Entire families in Kulachal and Kottilpadu were wiped out. Survivor Cletus, who lost 26 family members, shared, "We couldn’t identify anything until the next morning when their bodies were recovered." Similarly, Shanti, a fisherman’s wife, lost 30 relatives. "One brother survived by climbing a coconut tree, but another disappeared, and his body was never found," she said.

Approximately 230,000 lives were lost across 14 countries, with over 1,000 deaths in Kanyakumari alone. In the aftermath, recovered bodies were given mass burials, disregarding distinctions of religion or caste, with grief alone uniting the survivors.

Father Seeraj, Parish Priest of Kottilpadu, said, "We lost a generation. This hurt will never leave us. Every year, we commemorate this day, mourning the departed souls, with fishermen avoiding the sea in respect."  

Father Churchill, Secretary of the South Asian Fishermen’s Association, lamented, "The canal, filled with sludge that trapped many during the tsunami, remains unchanged even after 20 years. The government has taken no action to repair the canal."  

Despite the grief, some survivors, like Mary, found hope. "I lost four children, but by God’s grace, I have three now. I thank God for my family," she said. In Kanyakumari district alone, over 1,000 people were killed, with the villages of Kulachal and Kottilpadu bearing the brunt of the tragedy, where 500 lives were lost.