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

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)

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)

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)

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

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)