Gone with the waves

For millions of people across the globe, life has never been the same after December 26, 2004, when a massive earthquake off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province triggered an Indian Ocean tsunami. Tidal waves rising up to 15 metres surged towards the coastlines of the Sumatra island of Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives, and, within minutes, gobbled up tens of thousands of lives, flattened natural and man-made structures and changed the profiles of many coasts. In India, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the eastern shores bore the brunt of the killer waves. Chennai's Marina (above), one of the longest and most beautiful beaches in the world, vanished under water for some time.