Tsunami 2004
On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake shredded the fault between the Burma and Indian plates and unleashed an explosion of energy equivalent to 23,000 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs. The resulting tsunami caused a 100-foot wave in places, and claimed more than 227,000 lives. In India’s Nagapattinam district, more than 6,000 people were killed when waves reached 16-foot heights. Shortly after the tragedy, I travelled there to document the devastation, volunteer, and help survivors rebuild.
A construction worker installs corrugated tar paper roofs on shelters for tsunami survivors. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
Work crews operating heavy machinery clean up the devastated landscape two weeks after the tsunami struck. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
Food being distributed to hungry survivors. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
A shattered pile of fishing boats in the Nagapattinam port. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
A relief worker bleaching streets to stave off outbreaks of disease. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
A survivor of the tsunami disaster, Nagapattinam. India, 2005
Children were amazingly resilient despite having lost their possessions and oftentimes family members. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
Donated clothes abandoned by tsunami survivors litters the ground outside of a relief warehouse. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
A survivor of the tsunami disaster. Nagapattinam, India, 2005
A Muslim woman watches the ocean in Tamil Nadu. Nagapattinam, India, 2005