Live broadcast on December 26th from ground zero - Aceh, Indonesia

Five years after a devastating tsunami struck Southeast and South Asia, CNN's award-winning* correspondent Dan Rivers travels back to some of the hardest-hit areas in Indonesia and Thailand for a powerful and remarkable new documentary. Premiering on December 26th at 2230 (Hong Kong Time), ‘Tsunami 5' recalls the defining moments when the tsunami struck many coastal areas in the Indian Ocean. The compelling half-hour special also includes dramatic footage of the deadly catastrophe, weaving together the victims' tales of heartache and survival.

CNN's correspondent Atika Shubert, one of the first reporters on the ground during the Asian Tsunami, will also broadcast live throughout the day on December 26th.

CNN was one of the first international news organizations to report on the ground during the immediate aftermath of the tsunami, which killed an estimated 230,000 people in eleven countries and left hundreds of thousands displaced. CNN's Bangkok-based correspondent Dan Rivers returns to the once-devastated areas and revisits the survivors he interviewed five years ago. He also investigates how billions of dollars in aid have been spent. Below are some stories featured in ‘Tsunami 5':

· A pregnant survivor. Dan Rivers hears the miraculous story - Fitire was three months pregnant when the wave hit. She was rescued by a fishing boat after floating on the sea for ten hours. Rivers visits her and meets her boisterous four-year-old toddler.

· Mass graves. The program visits one of the darkest places in Aceh - a mass grave where almost 50,000 people were buried - and hears from a local official describe how he buried hundreds of children and the effect it has had on his life.

· Tourists' recollection. Dan Rivers hears recollections from the tourists holidaying at the time on Thailand's Phi Phi island in December 2004 and how they managed to escape from the disaster.

· Reconstruction. Returning to the once devastated areas, Dan Rivers talks to the deputy governor of Aceh and investigates where the recovery stands today.

CNN's monthly program ‘My City_My Life' will feature one of the tsunami survivors - Petra Nemcova - a supermodel-turned-philanthropist from the Czech Republic. She speaks of her near-death experience and how it prompted her to start the "Happy Hearts Fund", a charity that aims to improve the lives of children affected by natural disasters.
Airtimes: Dec 3rd at 1730/ Dec 4th at 1230/ Dec 5th at 1700 & 2230/ Dec 6th at 0730 & 2330/ Dec 7th at 1130 (in Hong Kong time).

‘BackStory: Tsunami 5th anniversary special' captures the passion and emotions of the correspondents and cameramen reporting on the ground five years ago and hears how they dealt with the challenges they faced reporting on one of the most unforgettable stories in their careers.
Airtimes: Dec 25th at 1730 & 2130 (in Hong Kong time)

Online, extensive multimedia coverage will be showcased on the homepage of CNN.com, featuring in-depth video reporting, image galleries with interactive elements which help explain the formation of the tsunamis. Viewers can also visit CNN's "Impact Your World", which details various charities across the world dedicated to helping tsunami victims.

*Dan Rivers won a 2009 Amnesty International Media Award for his documentary on Thailand's alleged persecution of ethnic Rohingya people.

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For more information, please visit www.CNNPressroomAsia.com.