Spirit of Earth Day: Tree planting project stems from surviving a tsunami
As a child, Gowri Rajan was scared of trees because of the reptiles and insects lurking in their roots, branches, and leaves.
«I wouldn’t go near trees,» says Rajan. «It’s ironic that, later in life, a tree would be the reason I’m still alive.»
On the morning of 26 December 2004, a tsunami slammed into Rajan’s vacation house on the Indian Ocean in Sri Lanka, where her family and a few friends were staying for the holidays. The water violently crashed through the house, destroying everything inside. «I said my last prayers. I thought this was the end,» she recalls.
When the water receded, it…
