Today, on the occasion of National Safety Day, a two-minute silence will be observed throughout the island of Sri Lanka from 9.25 a.m. to 9.27 a.m. This silence is a tribute to all those who lost their lives in the devastating 2004 tsunami and other natural disasters. The Disaster Management Center (DMC) has announced that a new awareness program regarding tsunami dangers will also begin today, aiming to educate the public about the potential risks. Major General (Retd) Sudantha Ranasinghe, the Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, has stated that this program will utilize a caller tune ringtone for mobile phones to spread awareness. Today marks the 19th anniversary of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, a catastrophic event that affected numerous countries in the Indian Ocean. The earthquake that triggered the tsunami had a magnitude of 9.1 and struck off the coast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The devastation caused by the tsunami resulted in over 230,000 deaths, with Sri Lanka being one of the hardest-hit countries. Since 2005, December 26th has been designated as National Safety Day, and commemorative events are held annually to remember the victims and raise awareness about disaster preparedness.
