Tamils across the North-East remembered the 35,000 victims of the catastrophic Boxing Day tsunami in 2004.
After the disaster, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said that almost two thirds of those killed across the island were in the Tamil homeland. "The North-East is the region worst affected by the tsunami," the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) said in a joint report.
Read more here: Remembering the waves - 17 years on from the tsunami.
Mullaitivu
Relatives of the tsunami victims lit candles and laid flowers at the tsunami memorial in Mullaitivu.
Jaffna
A remembrance event was organised by the Uduthurai Fishermen's Co-operative Society at the Vadamarachi Udutharai memorial this morning.
Students from Jaffna University also held an event on campus to commemorate the victims.
The Tamil National Green Organisation also remembered the tsunami victims at a memorial event in Nallur. The Northern Provincial declared December 24 as the 'Northern Province Natural Disaster Mitigation Day'.
Mannar
Mannar District Lighthouse Literary Charitable Society organised a memorial service at Mannar Pesalai Velankanni Beach under the patronage of its director and a member of the Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha A.R. Lusrin Mohanraj.
Vavuniya
A prayer service was held by Vavuniya Municipal Council and Vavuniya Narasingar temple at the tsunami memorial which was erected a month after the tsunami took place.
Batticaloa
Remembrance events were held in Kallady and Pasikudah and were attended by relatives of the tsunami victims.
Malayagam
