Tsunami-monument - 't Zand

At this spot on Korte Belkmerweg you will find the Tsunami Monument, created by artist Saskia Koning. The artwork commemorates the 36 Dutch victims of the tsunami that hit Asia on 26 December 2004. The relatives were unable to bury their loved ones due to the natural disaster. With this monument, they still have a way to remember their loved ones.

The artwork consists of a large circle of shell sand, with a sculpture of a three-metre-long wave carved from Belgian bluestone in the centre. Around the wave are 36 boulders in different colours and shapes, polished by water, with the name of one of the victims engraved on each.

The initiative to make a monument came from Karin Beenhakker and Luc Pijman. Together with their children, they survived the disaster while on holiday in Sri Lanka. They felt a connection with the bereaved and therefore wanted to create a place of reflection and comfort.