“We didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘Tsunami’ until boxing day 2004”
As the world marks 20 years since the boxing day tsunami, a red cross director has reflected on the disaster that left Sri Lanka and much of South and Southeast Asia reeling in shock and grief.
Dr Mahesh Gunasekara, now director general of the Sri Lanka Red Cross, vividly recalls the devastation caused by the giant waves that struck his homeland on December 26, 2004. At the time, he was the director of the 200-bed Kanthale Hospital and preparing for a new role with the Red Cross in early 2005.
“Until it happened, we never knew the meaning of the word ‘tsunami’,” said Dr Gunasekara, 60. “For us, it was just a Japanese word.”
A disaster unfolds
Dr Gunasekara was visiting his parents on that fateful sunday morning when his phone rang. The hospital had called to inform him of an unprecedented influx of casualties. “I started watching TV and listening to the radio,” he said. “Only then did I realise what it was.”
The scenes that greeted him at the hospital were unimaginable. “A lot of people had been injured or drowned, they were lying everywhere. It’s something we had never seen before,” he recalled.
The tsunami was triggered by a massive 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, which unleashed a series of deadly waves that wreaked havoc across 14 countries. More than 230,000 lives were lost, with Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka bearing the brunt of the destruction.
Among the victims were an estimated 10,000 British citizens who were affected, with 149 losing their lives, many in beach resorts in Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Coping with the aftermath
Kanthale Hospital, located approximately 30 kilometres from Sri Lanka’s coastline, became a hub for treating the injured and dealing with the overwhelming number of fatalities. Dr Gunasekara and his colleagues worked tirelessly to care for patients who had suffered injuries or inhaled seawater after being swept away by the waves.
The grim task of handling the dead also fell to the hospital staff. “We had to deal with them in a dignified manner and ensure they were given a good send-off,” Dr Gunasekara said. “Some of them, their whole family was gone.”
The disaster came at a time when Sri Lanka was already grappling with a brutal 30-year civil war. “We were used to dealing with bombs, blast casualties, and gunshot injuries,” he said. “But nothing like this. The country was shocked and stunned.”
A Career shaped by tragedy
The events of Boxing Day 2004 would shape Dr Gunasekara’s career. When he joined the Red Cross shortly after the tsunami, he took on the responsibility of leading the recovery operation. Today, he continues to serve the organisation as its Sri Lankan director general.
The tsunami also triggered a global reckoning with disaster preparedness. “It was a big disaster, there’s no question about that,” Dr Gunasekara said. “But this culture of preparedness really emerged globally after the tsunami.”
Generosity and lessons learned
The response to the tragedy highlighted the extraordinary generosity of the British public, who donated £392 million to the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal. Within just 24 hours of the appeal’s launch, a record £10 million had been raised.
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Dr Gunasekara explained how these funds were used to strengthen preparedness efforts in developing countries. “Usually, when there’s a crisis, you respond. But if you are better prepared, you can avert a lot of suffering,” he said.
Measures such as annual drills, simulation exercises, and increased awareness of tsunamis have been implemented in many vulnerable regions. “Hopefully, many lives would be saved if such a disaster occurred today,” he added.
A nation heals
For Sri Lanka, the trauma of the tsunami lingers. “We are a very small country; everybody knew someone who was affected,” Dr Gunasekara said. “The trauma is still within the country, but you have to move on.”
Richard Blewitt, executive director of international operations at the British Red Cross, echoed these sentiments, describing the tsunami as “devastation on a massive scale.”
“The incredible generosity of the British people in donating to our appeal was invaluable,” he said. “It allowed us to meet immediate needs, such as food, water, shelter, and healthcare, as well as provide psychosocial support to survivors and the bereaved.”
Looking back two decades later, the boxing day tsunami remains a stark reminder of nature’s devastating power and the importance of global solidarity in times of crisis. Through preparedness and resilience, communities have rebuilt and are better equipped to face future challenges.
