A man prepares to tie a black ribbon next to a makeshift memorial during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 16th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina Beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

People scatter flower petals and pour milk in the waters of the Bay of Bengal during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 16th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Women light candles at a makeshift memorial during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 16th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Children place candles on a makeshift memorial during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 16th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

A woman pours milk in the waters of the Bay of Bengal during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 16th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Women perform special prayers during the annular solar eclipse and for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar REFILE - ADDING INFORMATION

Women scatter flower petals in the waters of the Bay of Bengal during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Women gather during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Women hold plates with flower petals before scattering them in the waters of the Bay of Bengal during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Women pour milk into the waters of the Bay of Bengal during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Women scatter flower petals in the waters of the Bay of Bengal during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

People perform special prayers during the annular solar eclipse and for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar REFILE - ADDING INFORMATION

A girl prays during a prayer ceremony for the victims of the 2004 tsunami on the 15th anniversary of the disaster, at Marina beach in Chennai, India, December 26, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Graphic shows historical global data from NOAA on tsunamis, highlights the 2004 tsunami in indonesia (15 years ago) in context with all events creating waves over 2m high in the last two centuries

Map showing teh 25,600 buildings inside the tsunami high risk area in the Indonesian city of Banda Ache.

Arif Munandar, 49 year-old man who works as a radio communication technician at Aceh's disaster mitigation agency, climbs as he checks a tower in Banda Aceh, Indonesia December 13, 2019. Picture taken December 13, 2019. REUTERS/Heru Asprihanto

Sangeetha (L) and her sister pose inside the premises of a care home for orphaned children set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani (not pictured), who lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani, who lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, take pictures of children they shelter at their care home for orphaned children in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

A girl staying in the care home set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani after they lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, has her hair braided, in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Boys staying in the care home set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani after they lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, bathe inside at the home in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Children staying in the care home set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani after they lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, pose in a park along a beach in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Karibeeran Paramesvaran (front), who lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, helps cook food inside his house that he has turned into a care home for orphaned children in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani, who had lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, pose with a photograph showing their children inside their house that they have turned into a care home for orphaned children in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Children staying in the care home set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani after they lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, eat a meal before heading to school in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Children staying in a care home set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani after they lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, leave the care home as they head to school in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Boys staying in the care home set up by Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani after they lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, put on their clothes before heading to school in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani, who lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, show their family album inside their house that they have turned into a care home for orphaned children in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Karibeeran Paramesvaran and his wife Choodamani, who lost three children in the 2004 tsunami, pose outside their house that they have turned into a care home for orphaned children in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

A view of the coastline in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

The sudden rupture of a huge fault beneath the Indian Ocean unleashed 2004's devastating Indian Ocean tsunami. This record-setting rupture was around 1,300km in length.

UPDATE To dek A computer-generated model from NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Tsunami Research Program gives a strong indication of maximum wage heights throughout the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.

FILE PHOTO: An Indonesian woman carries her child in Lhoknga district, southwest of Banda Aceh, as they head towards the provincial capital to seek food and shelter following the deadly tsunami, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra January 1, 2005. REUTERS/Beawiharta/File Photo FROM THE FILES- 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI

Reena, who lost four siblings and her family's home in the tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across the coasts of several Asian countries, stands inside a house in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Saranya (R), who lost four siblings and her family home in the tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across the coasts of several Asian countries, walks with her younger sister Reena and their differently-abled brother Mohan inside a house in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Saranya (R), who lost four siblings and her family home in the tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across the coasts of several Asian countries, looks on as her younger sister Reena speaks on a mobile phone inside a house in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Saranya (R), who lost four siblings and her family home in the tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across the coasts of several Asian countries, looks at her differently-abled brother Mohan inside the kitchen of a house in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Saranya (R), who lost four siblings and her family home in the tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across the coasts of several Asian countries, poses with her younger sister Reena and their brother Mohan outside a house in Nagapattinam district in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

Children learn traditional dancing at a tsunami-hit village, in Seenigama, Sri Lanka, November 30, 2019. Picture taken November 30, 2019. REUTERS/Shihar Aneez

A tsunami warning tower is seen near a main road in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, December 1, 2019. Picture taken December 1, 2019. REUTERS/Shihar Aneez

Children learn traditional dancing at a tsunami-hit village, in Seenigama, Sri Lanka, November 30, 2019. Picture taken November 30, 2019. REUTERS/Shihar Aneez

A memorial for those who died in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami is seen near a tsunami-hit village, in Seenigama, Sri Lanka, December 1, 2019. Picture taken December 1, 2019. REUTERS/Shihar Aneez

Kushil Gunasekera, founder of the Foundation of Goodness charity that helps tsunami victims in Seenigama village, poses for a photograph at the high-ground temple that saved hundreds of lives during the 2004 tsunami, in Seenigama, Sri Lanka, November 30, 2019. Picture taken November 30, 2019. REUTERS/Shihar Aneez

Namal Ishari, who was affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and who now works as a team leader at a business process outsourcing unit for Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings, is seen at work in Seenigama village, Sri Lanka, November 30, 2019. Picture taken November 30, 2019. REUTERS/Shihar Aneez

Francesco Tomba trains at a rowing machine in his room in Berlin, Germany, December 21, 2015. Tomba aims to be the first to row alone from Australia to mainland Africa, arriving in Tanzania. He expects the journey to take around four months in a 7-meter (22.97 ft) boat he is having specially made. Picture taken December 21, 2015. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Francesco Tomba trains at a rowing machine in his room in Berlin, Germany, December 21, 2015. Tomba aims to be the first to row alone from Australia to mainland Africa, arriving in Tanzania. He expects the journey to take around four months in a 7-meter (22.97 ft) boat he is having specially made. Picture taken December 21, 2015. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Francesco Tomba trains at a rowing machine in his room in Berlin, Germany, December 21, 2015. Tomba aims to be the first to row alone from Australia to mainland Africa, arriving in Tanzania. He expects the journey to take around four months in a 7-meter (22.97 ft) boat he is having specially made. Picture taken December 21, 2015. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Workers offload tuna from a fishing boat in Port Victoria, August 4, 2008. For the second year running tuna catches in the Indian Ocean are significantly down, with possible explanations ranging from local environmental conditions to over-fishing, industry sources said this week. REUTERS/George Thande (SEYCHELLES)

Workers offload tuna from a fishing boat in Port Victoria, August 4, 2008. For the second year running tuna catches in the Indian Ocean are significantly down, with possible explanations ranging from local environmental conditions to over-fishing, industry sources said this week. REUTERS/George Thande (SEYCHELLES)