Tsunami 2004

The Great Indonesian Earthquake of 2004
Click for Steve Kluge's Webpage on the tsunami

The incredible and tragic loss of life due to the 9.3 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami is shocking and almost beyond belief. The event marked the most devastating natural disaster to hit the world in the last 100 years. While earthquakes are somewhat unpredictable, and always beyond our control, earthquake related tsunamis can be measured and predicted in time to provide some warning to residents of susceptible coastal areas. And there are warning signs of impending tsunamis, too, that properly understood and heeded can give individuals along the shore time to get to higher ground. Unfortunately for the tens of thousands of victims of the tsunami, a warning system does not exist in the Indian Ocean Basin and many people on the shores did not recognize or understand the warnings nature provided.
Hopefully people will learn from this tragedy, and work to provide better warning systems and better natural disaster preparedness education in the future.

Read on to learn more about the tsunami, a young child's heroism, and how you can help.

"The undersea 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred on December 26, 2004 produced tsunamis that were among the deadliest natural disasters in modern history. The tsunamis devastated the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and other countries with waves of up to 15 m (50 feet) in height, even hitting as far as the east coast of Africa, especially Somalia, 4,500 km (2,800 miles) or more west of the epicenter. The plight of the many affected people and countries prompted a widespread humanitarian response."
Source: Go here for much more current information!

Source: BBC

Asia's Deadly Waves Interactive (New York Times)

British girl saved hundreds from tsunami
Sydney Morning Herald
January 3, 2005

A 10-year-old British schoolgirl saved the lives of hundreds of people in South-East Asia by warning them a wall of water was about to strike, after learning about tsunamis in geography class, British media reported.

Tilly, who has been renamed the "angel of the beach" by the top-selling tabloid The Sun, was holidaying with her family on the Thai island of Phuket when she suddenly grasped what was taking place and alerted her mother.

"Last term [geography teacher Andrew] Kearney taught us about earthquakes and how they can cause tsunamis," Tilly was quoted by The Sun as saying.

"I was on the beach and the water started to go funny. There were bubbles and the tide went out all of a sudden.

"I recognised what was happening and had a feeling there was going to be a tsunami. I told mummy."

Her intuition was enough to raise the alert and prompt the evacuation of Phuket's Maikhao beach and a neighbouring hotel before the water came crashing in, saving hundreds of people from death and injury.

According to The Sun, no one on Maikhao beach was seriously hurt by the tsunamis.

Mr Kearney told the paper he had explained to his class that there was about 10 minutes from the moment the ocean draws out until the tsunami strikes.

Click on image to see the tsunami!