The Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 killed more than 230,000 people in 14 countries, when waves up to 100ft high swept in over Southeast Asia, displacing millions and destroying infrastructure worth billions.
The worst hit country, the archipelago nation of Indonesia, suffered more death and destruction than any other, when the Indian Ocean earthquake was followed by a tsunami on December 26, 2004.
Ten years later, communities in Indonesia’s Aceh province have rebuilt their homes, towns and villages, rising from the ashes of the single worst tsunami in human history.
Aceh, Indonesia was seriously affected by the tsunami, suffering at least 167,000 casualties, a number which is thought to be closer to 200,000, but it is unlikely that this will ever be confirmed as thousands of bodies could never be recovered as they were swept out to sea by the powerful waves.
The tsunami was the effect of an underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean just after 1am on Boxing Day 2004, the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph, with a magnitude of 9.0-9.3
The gigantic water movement that followed saw waves of up to 100feet hit the coasts of Indonesia, Sri LAnka, India and Thailand.
The 14 countries that suffered casualties and damage were situated maily in Southeast Asia but also in Africa.
In total, 45 countries lost citizens abroad in the tragedy. In Europe, Germany and Sweden, where Thailand is a popular destination around Christmas time, lost 552 and 571 citizens respectively.