The tsunami victims of 2004 in Tamil Nadu were remembered on the 13th anniversary of the killer phenomenon.

Emotional relatives remembered their near and dear ones, 13 years after the waves swallowed them on a Sunday morning in coastal districts like Chennai, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. TN Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and Handloom Minister OS Manian paid tributes to the departed souls here and at Nagapattinam, respectively.

Mourners held special prayers, took out candle light processions and paid floral tributes, besides pouring milk into the sea in these districts to remember their loved ones who were swept away by the giant tidal waves.

In Nagapattinam, at 9:17 am, people rose to observe a minute’s silence to pay homage to the 6,065 persons who lost their lives.

Memorial services were also held in neighbouring Karaikal. At Velankanni, a special mass was conducted at the Shrine Basillica in memory of the tsunami victims.

At Nagore, tributes were paid to those who were 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 13 years ago.

More than 300 bodies were buried here, of which nearly 150 were Muslims. The rest were those of Hindus and Christians. At Tarangambadi, an inter-faith prayer was held.

Published on December 26, 2017