Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami of 2004
Sumatra is the world's sixth-largest island and the second-largest island in Indonesia. Located in Southeast Asia with a population of 50,365,538 the damage was great when disaster struck. (1) It was the morning of December 26th, 2004 at 7:58 AM off the West coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia and the Indian Ocean. A 9.0 earthquake hit that was felt in Sumatra, the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India. (3) This earthquake then caused billions of gallons of seawater to create a massive tsunami in East and West directions. In the amount of 10 hours, the tsunami had hit over 12 countries. The damage reached from Southeast Asia all the way to East Africa.
Over 150,000 people were killed from the impact of the disaster, millions were injured, and over 5 million homeless and without their simple, but necessary needs. 1/3 of the people dead were children. The final death toll ended up being 230,210. (2)
I chose this location and natural disaster because it sounded interesting and like it had an impact on many people. I also realized that I did not know anything about this Earthquake, but that I knew more about Hurricane Katrina that only happened a year later. This is when I decided this needed to change and so I decided to learn more about Sumatra and the devastating Earthquake and Tsunami that happened off it's coast.
Over 150,000 people were killed from the impact of the disaster, millions were injured, and over 5 million homeless and without their simple, but necessary needs. 1/3 of the people dead were children. The final death toll ended up being 230,210. (2)
I chose this location and natural disaster because it sounded interesting and like it had an impact on many people. I also realized that I did not know anything about this Earthquake, but that I knew more about Hurricane Katrina that only happened a year later. This is when I decided this needed to change and so I decided to learn more about Sumatra and the devastating Earthquake and Tsunami that happened off it's coast.
1) Sumatra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatra
2) Sumatra Earthquake & Indian Ocean Tsunami. (n.d.). Cal Poly Pomona. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from
http://www.csupomona.edu/~marshall/Ind_Oc_Tsunami_Lec.v4.htm
3) INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI - Great Earthquake and Tsunami of 26 December 2004 in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean - by Dr. George Pararas -
Carayannis. (n.d.). DISASTER PAGES OF DR. GEORGE PC / Welcome Page. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from
http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami2
4) http://www.wallpaperweb.org/wallpaper/miscellaneous/1024x768/2004tsunami.jpg