On this day, 13 years ago, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck beneath the Indian Ocean near Indonesia in Thailand,
Today, many of the communities have recovered, though painful memories and some ruined structures remain in place.
It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest-hit country, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.
Amid the commemorations, continued warnings from earthquake experts that early-warning systems need even more development and funding in the region.
Gathered here are images of the 2004 event, a series of then-and-now comparison images, and photos from today’s memorials.