On 26 December 2004, a magnitude 9.1 undersea earthquake struck 240km west of Sumatra, Indonesia, rupturing the greatest fault length of any recorded earthquake.

People in Aceh moved past the tsunami trauma by believing their deceased family members were martyrs who deserved a place in heaven, while those who survived were given the opportunity by Allah to live better lives.

Twenty years after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that claimed over 230,000 lives across the Indian Ocean region, thousands gathered in the capital of Indonesia's Aceh province on Thursday to commemorate the tragedy.