On 26 December 2004, a crowded passenger train (#50 Matara Express) was destroyed on a coastal railway in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, by the tsunami that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. It is considered the largest rail disaster in history, with an estimated 900 to 1,700 deaths.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying 2004 Sri Lanka tsunami-rail disaster alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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