Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who visited Banda Aceh and Meulaboh days after the disaster, hopes Singaporeans would learn from such natural disasters. "We must be prepared for them, and work together to protect ourselves," he said.
Sang MIO - SINGAPORE: The tsunami that killed 230,000 people a decade ago on Boxing Day, after an earthquake struck the Sumatra coast in Indonesia, shows "how fragile and uncertain human life is, and how resilient and united we must be in the face of adversity," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a Facebook post on Friday (Dec 26).
"Natural calamities will happen again. We must be prepared for them, and work together to protect ourselves," he added.
Mr Lee also wrote about his visit to Banda Aceh and Meulaboh in Indonesia days after the disaster. "This was the closest land to the epicentre, and the worst hit," he said.
"The Singapore Armed Forces were already there, mounting our largest relief effort ever, to support our close neighbour. Our Home Team, Non-Governmental Organisations, and individual Singaporeans were also helping," he added, saying he was overwhelmed by the extensive damage.
Despite the trauma, grief and uncertainty, the survivors were determined to recover, said Mr Lee.
"A decade later, many of the destroyed areas are again bustling with life. The survivors have also rebuilt their lives," he said. "But we also remember those who have perished."
Source : Singapore remembers those who perished in 2004 tsunami: PM Lee
- Indian mothers try to conceive after losing children to 2004 tsunami
