Ten years since killer tsunami

In the days that followed the killer tsunami 10 years ago, an outpouring of support for the tsunami victims would come from around the world, including Canada, and here in this region.

Fundraisers were held, and volunteers traveled to the affected areas that were dealing with the search for survivors, the lack of clean water and the spread of disease. A look back now on how many here responded to the devastation on the other side of the world.

The images were terrifying. The stories of survival, gut wrenching. Never before had the world witnessed such devastation from a natural disaster.

Hamilton native Danny Anderson visited his brother in Thailand just weeks after the tsunami struck: “The first three weeks that I was there, you couldn’t go to the beach areas because of the destruction, because of the clean up because the number of people that were killed or missing. Bodies were washed up on the beaches and even months afterwards, they found bodies way out in the ocean.

Response was widespread and immediate. Humanitarian groups, disaster relief organizations, governments from around the globe deployed troops to the hardest hit zones.

Families, friends and complete strangers opened their hearts and their wallets raising billions in financial aid.

“25 thousand dollars, 25 thousand dollars”

CHCH Television played a key role in local fundraising efforts.

“Today, our viewers woke up to the CHCH Tsunami Relief Drive”.

The television station held a day-long fundraising event that raised over $900,000. That money along with other fundraisers and a matching contribution by the federal government brought the final tally to over three million dollars.

“And the Red Cross will be there in the long term. It will be used to help people rebuild their lives in those areas affected.”

Patrick O’Hara, former CHCH General Manager: “It’s good to see television do something other than entertain. Good to give back.”