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2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a major earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1–9.3 Mw struck with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The undersea megathrust earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake,[10][11] was caused by a rupture along the fault between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate, and reached a Mercalli intensity up to IX in some areas.

UTC time

2004-12-26 00:58:53

26 December 2004 (2004-12-26)[1]

10 minutes

9.1–9.3 Mw[2]

30 km (19 mi)[1]

  • 15 to 30 m (50 to 100 ft);[3][4]
  • max. 51 m (167 ft)[5]

227,898 dead[6][7][8]

A massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high, known in some countries as the Boxing Day Tsunami after the Boxing Day holiday, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries in one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. The direct results caused major disruptions to living conditions and commerce in coastal provinces of surrounded countries, including Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu (India) and Khao Lak (Thailand). Banda Aceh reported the largest number of deaths. It remains the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century.[12]


It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Asia, the most powerful earthquake in the 21st century, and at least the third most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the world since modern seismography began in 1900. It had the longest fault rupture ever observed, between 1,200 km to 1,300 km (720 mi to 780 mi), and had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, at least ten minutes.[13] It caused the planet to vibrate as much as 10 mm (0.4 in),[14] and also remotely triggered earthquakes as far away as Alaska.[15] Its epicentre was between Simeulue and mainland Sumatra.[16] The plight of the affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response, with donations totalling more than US$14 billion[17] (equivalent to US$23 billion in 2023 currency).

15–30 m (49–98 ft) on the west coast of Aceh

6–12 m (20–39 ft) on the Banda Aceh coast

6 m (20 ft) on the Krueng Raya coast

5 m (16 ft) on the coast

Sigli

3–6 m (9.8–19.7 ft) on the north coast of directly facing the tsunami source

Weh Island

3 m (9.8 ft) on the opposite side of the coast of Weh Island facing the tsunami

Legacy

The 2004 disaster prompted the creation of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System.

Children of Tsunami: No More Tears (2005), a 24-minute documentary

The Wave That Shook The World (2005), educational television-series documentary about the tsunami

(2006), a two-part television miniseries about its aftermath

Tsunami: The Aftermath

(2008), a Tamil thriller film involving the tsunami

Dasavathaaram

(2010), a main character's life is affected after surviving the tsunami while on vacation

Hereafter

(2011), an Indonesian movie with the tsunami as the initial incident

Hafalan Shalat Delisa

(2012), an English-language Spanish film based on the story of María Belón and her family

The Impossible

(2014), a Tamil drama film which culminates with the tsunami

Kayal

– notable people killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

Deaths in December 2004

List of earthquakes in 2004

List of earthquakes in Indonesia

List of natural disasters by death toll

Lists of earthquakes

List of megathrust earthquakes

's main page for this event.

ReliefWeb

. Archived 21 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine – IRIS Consortium.

The Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake

 – Amateur Seismic Centre (ASC) (archived 21 January 2007)

M9.1 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake & Tsunami, 2004

 – Zoriah Miller

Asian Tsunami Anniversary – Thailand Tsunami Then and Now Comparison Series

on YouTube

"Compilation of videos that show the moment the quake and the subsequent tsunami hit"

The has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.

International Seismological Centre