18 years of Indian Ocean Tsunami: All you need to know about deadly event

It has been 18 years, but the memories of the deadly Indian Ocean Tsunami are fresh in people’s minds. On the unfortunate morning of 26 December 2004, a massive earthquake of magnitude 9.1 triggered an undersea tsunami, one of the deadliest the world had ever seen. This event caused massive waves, measuring up to 30 metres, and impacted around 15 different countries, leaving lakhs of people dead. Notably, the extent of damage the tsunami caused was due to a number of reasons including poor infrastructure, failed warning systems, and large population around coastal areas.

Speaking of which, as we mark the 18th anniversary of that devastating event, let’s dig a bit deeper to know more about the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.

2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami facts:

About the tsunami

Considered one of the deadliest natural disasters in the world, the Indian Ocean Tsunami was caused by an earthquake and is said to have the energy of around 23,000 Hiroshima-type bombs. Its epicentre was said to be off the west coast of northern Sumatra in Indonesia and was caused because of a rupture along the fault line between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate.

The earthquake was felt across several countries including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Maldives. The event also caused massive waves of great height and intensity, further triggering a tsunami which slammed the coastlines of all affected countries.

Damages incurred

The tsunami led to millions losing their lives. A huge number of people were also displaced, and the disaster also caused damage to public property. Indonesia is regarded as the most-affected country and it was estimated that the death toll there alone exceeded 200,000, particularly in northern Sumatra’s Aceh province.

Besides that, India also saw over 10,000 deaths with the majority of them reported from Tamil Nadu. As per reports, the tsunami resulted in around 2,25,000 fatalities worldwide.

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