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A helicopter flew over Sylvia Lucas twice before rescuing her - now she vows never to enter the sea again

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Sylvia Lucas
Age: 11
Home: Sri Lanka
Eleven-year-old Sylvia Lucas was caught up in the 2004 Tsunami when it crashed into the coast of Sri Lanka. Her family scrambled onto the roof of her grandmother’s house for safety. But the sea kept rising and it swept them out to sea. Sylvia clung to a piece of wood and was eventually rescued by a helicopter. Most of her family survived but her nine-year-old brother Clinton has never been found.
Filed in: Asia, Climate Change

The day the waves came

On Boxing Day 2004 the Indian Ocean Tsunami claimed the lives of up to 250,000 people, most in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand
Sri Lanka had been ravaged by a 20-year ethnic conflict and its people faced further devastation by the Tsunami
An estimated 2 million people were displaced by the damage caused by the Tsunami
Billions of pounds in aid were raised but the progress has been hampered by continued conflict between the government and the Tamil Tigers
Local non-governmental organisations like Practical Action have helped with the rebuilding work and organised training to get those affected by the Tsunami back to work

Filed in: Asia, Climate Change

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka
Population: 20.6 million
Population living on less than $2 a day: 41.6%
Sri Lankans killed in Tsunami 2004: 35,000