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The popular tourist resort town of Kalutara, Sri Lanka, found itself in the path of the deadly tsunami caused by a massive earthquake under the sea near northern Indonesia. (Photo: DigitalGlobe)

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This photo was taken on 26 December 2004 at 1020 local time, slightly less than four hours after the wave smashed into the beach and pushed up to one kilometre inland. (Photo: DigitalGlobe)

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The ferocity of the wave can be seen as the water recedes... (Photo: DigitalGlobe)

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...exposing over 300 metres of beach previously covered by the ocean. (Photo: DigitalGlobe)

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Currently nearly 22,000 people are now confirmed dead in Sri Lanka alone. (Photo: DigitalGlobe)