ACEH PEOPLE HOLD MASS PRAYERS COMMEMORATING TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Banda Aceh, Dec 26 (ANTARA)- Thousands of Aceh people especially families of tsunami victims participated in mass prayer services in mosques of the province to commemorate hundred of thousands of fatalities due to the devastating tsunami on December 26, 2004.
The mass prayers starting from Thursday (Dec.25) night till Friday (Dec.26) in Banda Aceh's Baiturrahman grand mosque and in some other mosques in Aceh Besar district and Meulaboh, West Aceh district.
The mass prayer in Baiturrahman grand mosque was led by Muhammad Arifin Ilham, noted propagator from Jakarta.
In addition, families of the tsunami victims also made devotional visits to the tsunami victim graves in Uleeu Lheue, Meuraxa sub-district, Lambaro in Banda Aceh, and Lhoknga village in Aceh Besar district.
The families of tsunami victims wore white clothes during the mass prayer services.
Propagator Muhammad Arifin Ilham at the mass prayer function adviced the victim families to take lessons from the natural disaster.
In addition, Aceh people also carried out half mast flag-hoisting activities in a bid to commemorate the tsunami tragedy.
The half mast flag-hoisting functions were conducted based on the provincial governor instruction no. 360/47081/2008 dated December 17, 2008.
The earth quake measuring 9.3 Richter Scale followed by tsunami devastated the west coast of Sumatra Island particularly Nias Island in North Suamtra province and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province on December 26, 2004.
The tsunami left almost 200 thousand people died, thousands of others went missing and a great number of houses damaged.
Report said that it was the worst quake which happpened in the country during the last four years. ***4***