90 years ago the residents of the Burin Peninsula were left to pick up the pieces after a tsunami slammed into the region, laying waste to a number of communities and killing 28 people.

Three massive waves struck the region on the evening of November 18, 1929.

Carl Slaney of Burin says people were preparing for winter at the time and everything was wiped out. Salt fish gathered over the season was washed away and all the infrastructure including homes, stores, wharves and boats were destroyed.

He says it left the survivors completely destitute. A relief effort was launched by the Newfoundland government to get food and needed supplies to the affected communities.

He says only through hard work, outside assistance and helping each other, the people of Port au Bras, Burin, St, Lawrence and Taylor’s Bay managed to put their lives back together.