15 years on: Heartbreaking photos from the devastating tsunami of 2004

December 26 marked 15 years since a 9.1 magnitude quake off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province triggered a tsunami that killed more than 2,30,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and nine other countries.

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   On the night of December 26, 2004, a massive quake of magnitude 9.1-9.3 — with its epicentre in Bay of Bengal — triggered one of the biggest Tsunamis the world had ever witnessed. (Express archive photo)

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   In India, over 10,000 people were killed in the disaster, which is considered to be one of the deadliest in recorded history. (Express archive photo)

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   A woman and her daughter who survived the 2004 tsunami looks through a pile of donated old clothes in front of the District Collectorate in Nagapattinam. (Express photo by Manoj Patil)

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   2019 marks the 15th anniversary of that devastating point.(Express archive photo)

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   The extent of damage it caused was attributed to a number of reasons, mainly poor infrastructure and warning systems and large population living in coastal areas. In pic: Fishermen in Tamil Nadu's Colachel village pray and remember their family. (Express photo by: Prashant Nadkar)

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   The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami or Christmas Tsunami, caused fatalities among large number of tourists because of the holiday season. In pic: Villagers of Kottalpdu dsitrict in Tamil nadu read their family members' names on the memorial for Tsunami victims on the anniversary day. (Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

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   As per the official count, 10,136 people died in India with majority of the casualties reported from Tamil Nadu. In pic: Siman colony villagers remember their family, who perished in 26th December 2004 Tsunami in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district. (Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

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   The second most affected region in India was Andaman and Nicobar islands where official death toll reached over 1,300, with over 5,500 missing. In pic: Rasavalli in front of her house that was destroyed in the 2004 Tsunami in Akkaraipettai, Nagapattinam. (Express photo by Oinam Anand)

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   Millions were displaced and subsequent research work revealed that the environment also suffered damage because of it. In pic: Women pay tributes to the victims of tsunami 2004 on the 14th anniversary of the calamity at Foreshore Estate beach in Chennai. (PTI)