Indonesia remembers tsunami victims

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Indonesian official offered floral tributes to the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami on Friday (December 26) as the region commemorated the 10th anniversary of the disaster.

In Siron mass grave, where thousands killed in the tsunami were buried, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla and his wife Mufidah led a delegation of a dozen officials who paid their respects to those who died.

The 10-metre killer wave, triggered by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off western Indonesia, wiped out most of the coastal areas in the region, leaving at least 226,000 people dead.

Indonesia was the worst hit area with at least 168,000 people dead in Aceh province alone, the closest point to the epicentre.

An official memorial service was due to be held later in the day.