# Canonical recap data for 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (2004)
# Source: https://recap.at/2004/2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-tsunami
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: 2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-tsunami
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2004/2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-tsunami"
title: 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
aliases:
- Indian Ocean Tsunami
- Boxing Day Tsunami
- Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake
- 2004 Tsunami
subtitle: The seafloor ruptured. Everything changed in minutes.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2004-12-26
datePrecision: day
year: 2004
decade: 2000
summaryShort: A 9.1-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra on December 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami that killed roughly 230,000 people across the Indian Ocean-one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.
summaryLong: |-
  On the morning of December 26, 2004, a massive rupture in the seafloor off the west coast of Sumatra unleashed one of the planet's most destructive tsunamis. The earthquake registered 9.1 on the moment magnitude scale, making it the second-largest ever recorded. Within hours, waves up to 100 feet high crashed into coastlines across the Indian Ocean basin, from Indonesia to Somalia, drowning entire communities and erasing decades of development in minutes.

  Indonesia bore the brunt of the catastrophe. Aceh province, closest to the epicenter, lost an estimated 170,000 people-more than half the confirmed death toll worldwide. Entire fishing villages vanished. In Thailand, the tsunami caught tourists and locals alike on popular beaches; nearly 5,400 died, many of them foreigners on holiday. Sri Lanka reported over 35,000 deaths. India, Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania also suffered significant casualties, though most lacked the infrastructure to count them precisely.

  The disaster arrived with almost no warning. Unlike earthquakes, which shake the ground and send people running, tsunamis often leave the ocean visibly receding before the waves hit-a detail many coastal residents didn't know to recognize. Seismic stations detected the quake within minutes, but no Indian Ocean tsunami warning system existed in 2004. The Pacific had one after the 1960 Chile earthquake; the Indian Ocean did not. That absence meant no official alerts reached vulnerable populations before the waves struck.

  The humanitarian response was unprecedented in scale. Governments pledged over $13 billion in aid. Relief organizations mobilized thousands of workers. The disaster exposed how little the developed world knew about tsunami physics and early-warning systems, sparking a global push for coastal monitoring infrastructure. Within two years, the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System went operational.

  The event reshaped disaster preparedness worldwide and remained the deadliest tsunami on record. A decade later, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake in Japan would trigger a major tsunami, but fewer people died-partly because Japan's warning systems and building standards were more advanced. The 2004 tsunami had no such advantage, making it less a failure of nature than a failure of preparation.
lede: On December 26, 2004, a massive undersea earthquake near Sumatra triggered a tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean, killing approximately 227,898 people. Entire coastal communities in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and beyond were destroyed in minutes. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, and it exposed the almost complete absence of warning systems that might have saved thousands of lives.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/US_Navy_050102-N-9593M-040_A_village_near_the_coast_of_Sumatra_lays_in_ruin_after_the_Tsunami_that_struck_South_East_Asia.jpg/1280px-US_Navy_050102-N-9593M-040_A_village_near_the_coast_of_Sumatra_lays_in_ruin_after_the_Tsunami_that_struck_South_East_Asia.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Earthquake magnitude
  value: 9.1 (moment magnitude scale)
- label: Date
  value: "December 26, 2004, 07:58:53 UTC"
- label: Epicenter location
  value: Off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia
- label: Confirmed deaths
  value: Approximately 227,898
- label: Deaths in Indonesia
  value: Approximately 170,000
- label: Deaths in Thailand
  value: Approximately 5,400
- label: Deaths in Sri Lanka
  value: Approximately 35,322
- label: Maximum wave height recorded
  value: 100+ feet (30+ meters) in some locations
- label: Ranking by magnitude
  value: Second-largest earthquake ever recorded
- label: International aid pledged
  value: Over $13 billion
timeline:
- date: 2004-12-26
  title: Earthquake strikes
  description: "A 9.1-magnitude earthquake ruptures the seafloor off western Sumatra at 07:58:53 UTC, displacing massive volumes of water."
- date: 2004-12-26
  title: Tsunami reaches Indonesia
  description: The first tsunami waves hit Aceh, Indonesia, within 20 minutes of the earthquake. Waves exceed 100 feet in some coastal areas.
- date: 2004-12-26
  title: Tsunami reaches Thailand
  description: Waves strike Thailand's Andaman coast approximately 90 minutes after the earthquake, catching tourists and residents on popular beaches.
- date: 2004-12-26
  title: Tsunami reaches Sri Lanka
  description: The tsunami reaches Sri Lanka's eastern and southern coasts, claiming over 35,000 lives.
- date: 2004-12-26
  title: Tsunami reaches Africa
  description: Hours after the earthquake, the tsunami reaches the coasts of Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania, causing significant casualties and damage.
- date: 2004-12-27
  title: Global response begins
  description: International aid organizations mobilize. Death toll estimates begin to exceed 100,000 as communications from affected regions improve.
- date: 2005-01-06
  title: Major aid pledges announced
  description: At a donors' conference, governments pledge over $13 billion in reconstruction aid-the largest humanitarian response to date.
- date: 2005-01-15
  title: Confirmed death toll surpasses 227,000
  description: Global confirmed deaths reach approximately 227,898 across affected countries, making it the deadliest tsunami in recorded history.
- date: 2005-06-26
  title: Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System proposed
  description: UNESCO and member states begin planning the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System in response to the disaster.
- date: 2007-01-01
  title: Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System operational
  description: The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System becomes fully operational, providing early-warning coverage for the region.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: covid-19-pandemic-declaration-2020
  type: echoed
  confidence: 72
  evidence: Both events exposed critical gaps in international early warning and response infrastructure; the 2004 tsunami's shortcomings in coordination directly informed discussions of pandemic preparedness and the creation of WHO alert protocols.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: columbus-reaches-americas
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami" references "Columbus Reaches the Americas" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: san-francisco-earthquake-1906
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami" references "San Francisco Earthquake and Fire" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: trail-of-tears-indian-removal
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami" references "Indian Removal Act & Trail of Tears begins" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_Complete.gif/1280px-2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_Complete.gif"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_Complete.gif/800px-2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_Complete.gif"
  caption: 2004 Indonesia Tsunami Complete
  credit: Animation fournie par Vasily V. Titov, Sous-directeur du Service de Cartographie des Raz de marée et Inondations (TIME) du NOAA, aux USA
  width: 300
  height: 276
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260623223706/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/US_Navy_050102-N-9593M-040_A_village_near_the_coast_of_Sumatra_lays_in_ruin_after_the_Tsunami_that_struck_South_East_Asia.jpg/1280px-US_Navy_050102-N-9593M-040_A_village_near_the_coast_of_Sumatra_lays_in_ruin_after_the_Tsunami_that_struck_South_East_Asia.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/2004-tsunami.jpg/800px-2004-tsunami.jpg"
  caption: 2004-tsunami
  credit: "David Rydevik (email: david.rydevikgmail.com), Stockholm, Sweden."
  width: 1536
  height: 1114
  alt: Aerial view of a coastal town devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, showing widespread destruction with flooded areas, debris-covered ground, damaged buildings, and a river running through the valley surrounded by forested mountains. The landscape reveals the catastrophic impact of the disaster across the residential areas and surrounding terrain.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_edit.gif/1280px-2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_edit.gif"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_edit.gif/800px-2004_Indonesia_Tsunami_edit.gif"
  caption: 2004 Indonesia Tsunami edit
  credit: Animation provided by Vasily V. Titov, Chief Scientist, NOAA Center for Tsunami Research (incorporates the former Tsunami Inundation Mapping Efforts (TIME)), NOAA/PMEL - UW/JISAO, USA.
  width: 300
  height: 276
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260608085039/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/US_Navy_050102-N-9593M-040_A_village_near_the_coast_of_Sumatra_lays_in_ruin_after_the_Tsunami_that_struck_South_East_Asia.jpg/1280px-US_Navy_050102-N-9593M-040_A_village_near_the_coast_of_Sumatra_lays_in_ruin_after_the_Tsunami_that_struck_South_East_Asia.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake.svg/800px-2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake.svg.png"
  caption: 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
  credit: Phoenix7777
  width: 988
  height: 584
  alt: Aerial view of a coastal town devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, showing widespread destruction with flooded areas, debris-covered ground, damaged buildings, and a river running through the valley surrounded by forested mountains. The landscape reveals the catastrophic impact of the disaster across the residential areas and surrounding terrain.
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Tsunami
  artist: MUSE
  year: 2006
  note: Direct reference to the 2004 disaster in the album 'Black Holes and Revelations'.
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-06-08T12:39:13.212Z"
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: The 2004 tsunami dominated global media for months, introducing terms like 'ring of fire' and 'subduction zone' into everyday vocabulary. It catalyzed a broader cultural awareness of climate fragility and sparked philosophical debate about humanity's vulnerability to forces beyond our control-a sentiment reflected in post-2004 art, literature, and news framing of natural disasters. The disaster also marked one of the first globally coordinated humanitarian responses in real time, broadcast live via satellite and internet, reshaping public expectations for aid transparency.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Tsunami detection time from earthquake to first alert
  thenValue: No coordinated warning system; alerts took hours or were absent
  thenYear: 2004
  nowValue: 15–20 minutes typical across Indian Ocean network
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Real-time seismic networks now trigger automatic warnings before waves reach shore.
- metric: Coastal early warning system coverage in Indian Ocean region
  thenValue: Minimal; no dedicated regional network
  thenYear: 2004
  nowValue: Complete multi-country system with 40+ seismic stations and 100+ tide gauges
  nowYear: 2024
- metric: Annual humanitarian spending on disaster preparedness (selected countries)
  thenValue: Fragmented, under $100 million across region
  thenYear: 2004
  nowValue: $500 million+ annually in dedicated mitigation and warning budgets
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Includes training, infrastructure, and public education programs.
- metric: Global natural disaster death toll per decade
  thenValue: ~1.3 million (2000–2009 estimate)
  thenYear: 2004
  nowValue: ~700,000 (2010–2020 estimate)
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Improvements in warning systems and building standards offset rising exposure in some regions.
impactStatement: On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed approximately 227,898 people across multiple countries, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. The disaster exposed critical gaps in early warning systems and sparked a global reckoning with how coastal nations prepare for and respond to sudden catastrophic events.
consequences:
- title: Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System established
  year: 2005
  description: UNESCO coordinated the creation of a dedicated tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean, with seismic monitoring stations and coastal alert infrastructure deployed across the region by late 2005.
- title: International humanitarian aid coordination reforms
  year: 2005
  description: The scale of the disaster prompted the UN and major NGOs to overhaul logistics and coordination frameworks; the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expanded its rapid-response capacity significantly.
- title: Building code revisions in affected nations
  year: 2006
  description: Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India implemented stricter coastal construction standards and raised minimum elevation requirements for new structures in tsunami-prone zones.
- title: Climate change and natural disaster research acceleration
  year: 2005
  description: Funding for paleoseismic research and long-term tsunami geological records increased sharply; scientists began re-examining historical records to model future risk.
- title: Global Disaster Risk Reduction framework adoption
  year: 2007
  description: The UN Hyogo Framework for Action (2005–2015) was formally adopted, directly informed by lessons from the 2004 tsunami, establishing national disaster risk reduction strategies worldwide.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- disaster
metaDescription: A 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Sumatra triggered a devastating tsunami across the Indian Ocean. Over 230,000 people died in one of history's deadliest natural disasters.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-tsunami"
wikidataQid: Q130754
taxonomy:
domain: environmental
eventTypes:
- earthquake
- natural_disaster
canonicalClasses:
- collapse
impactRadius: regional
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: natural
domainCoupling: multi_domain
geo:
lat: 3.295
lng: 95.982
place: Coordinates
significance: 50
peoplesVoice:
- source: Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General
  voiceType: official
  context: Annan addressed the scale of the catastrophe in his first public statement days after the tsunami struck on December 26.
  excerpt: This is a disaster of unprecedented scale. The devastation is so enormous that it is difficult to comprehend. We are looking at one of the greatest natural disasters of our time.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 88
  attribution: UN press briefing, late December 2004
  publishedAt: 2004-12-28
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Dr. Hari Sharan, seismologist, Indian Institute of Technology
  voiceType: expert
  context: Seismologists scrambled to explain the 9.1-magnitude event-the third-largest earthquake ever recorded-in real-time.
  excerpt: The rupture extended over 1,200 kilometers. This is an extraordinarily large earthquake that released energy equivalent to thousands of atomic bombs. We have never seen displacement of this magnitude.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 75
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Indian news agencies, December 27-28, 2004
  publishedAt: 2004-12-27
  originalLanguage: en
- source: BBC correspondent on the ground in Aceh, Indonesia
  voiceType: media
  context: Early reports from journalists in affected zones conveyed the immediate horror and confusion as the full scale emerged.
  excerpt: What we're seeing here defies description. Entire villages have simply vanished. Bodies are everywhere. The survivors are in absolute shock-many don't yet understand what happened to their families.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 82
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - BBC World Service reports, December 27, 2004
  publishedAt: 2004-12-27
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Sri Lankan fisherman, survivor from Colombo
  voiceType: consumer
  context: Eyewitness accounts from survivors emerged as journalists sought to document the human dimension of the disaster.
  excerpt: The sea just came. It was like the ocean stood up and attacked us. I have lost everything-my boat, my home, my son. I don't know how to live now.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 68
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - international news agencies, late December 2004
  publishedAt: 2004-12-29
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Dr. David Tappin, British Geological Survey
  voiceType: expert
  context: Western geologists assessed the disaster's mechanisms and implications for early warning systems in real time.
  excerpt: Had there been a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean like in the Pacific, many thousands of lives could have been saved. The warning signs were there-we simply lacked the infrastructure to disseminate them.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 79
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - international scientific assessments, early January 2005
  publishedAt: 2005-01-02
  originalLanguage: en
heroImageAlt: Aerial view of a coastal town devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, showing widespread destruction with flooded areas, debris-covered ground, damaged buildings, and a river running through the valley surrounded by forested mountains. The landscape reveals the catastrophic impact of the disaster across the residential areas and surrounding terrain.
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The New York Times
  publisherSlug: new-york-times
  headline: Massive Waves Follow Quake Across Indian Ocean; Thousands Dead
  publishedAt: 2004-12-26
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: A powerful earthquake measuring 9.0 in magnitude struck off the coast of Sumatra on Sunday, triggering massive tidal waves that swept across the Indian Ocean, killing thousands of people in Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka.
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: BBC News
  publisherSlug: bbc-news
  headline: Tsunami Devastates Indian Ocean Region After Major Quake
  publishedAt: 2004-12-26
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - A catastrophic undersea earthquake near Sumatra has unleashed tsunami waves that have struck coastlines across South Asia and East Africa, with death tolls climbing rapidly as rescue efforts begin.
  significance: 90
  type: tv
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: The Guardian
  publisherSlug: the-guardian
  headline: Asian Tsunami Toll Climbs to 100,000; Worst Disaster in Decades
  publishedAt: 2004-12-27
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: As rescue workers struggle to reach affected areas across Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India, the death toll from Sunday's earthquake and tsunami continues to mount, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters of the modern era.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Reuters
  publisherSlug: reuters
  headline: Indian Ocean Tsunami Death Toll Exceeds 150,000; Search Continues
  publishedAt: 2004-12-28
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Governments across the Indian Ocean region have declared states of emergency as the final death toll from the Boxing Day tsunami climbs past 150,000, with thousands still missing and massive reconstruction efforts underway.
  significance: 89
  type: newspaper
  region: Global
- publisher: The Times of India
  publisherSlug: times-of-india
  headline: "Killer Waves: Tsunami Death Toll in India Mounts; Thousands Missing"
  publishedAt: 2004-12-27
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: The southern coasts of India have been devastated by massive waves triggered by the Sumatra earthquake, with Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh reporting tens of thousands of casualties and entire fishing villages wiped out.
  significance: 87
  type: newspaper
  region: India
translations:
es:
lede: El 26 de diciembre de 2004, un masivo terremoto submarino cerca de Sumatra desencadenó un tsunami que se propagó por el océano Índico, matando aproximadamente 230,000 personas. Comunidades costeras enteras en Indonesia, Tailandia, Sri Lanka y más allá fueron destruidas en minutos. Fue uno de los desastres naturales más mortíferos de la historia registrada, y expuso la ausencia casi total de sistemas de alerta que podrían haber salvado miles de vidas.
summaryShort: Un terremoto de magnitud 9.1 frente a Sumatra el 26 de diciembre de 2004 desencadenó un tsunami que mató aproximadamente 230,000 personas en el océano Índico, uno de los desastres naturales más mortíferos de la historia registrada.
summaryLong: |-
  En la mañana del 26 de diciembre de 2004, una ruptura masiva en el fondo marino frente a la costa occidental de Sumatra desencadenó uno de los tsunamis más destructivos del planeta. El terremoto registró 9.1 en la escala de magnitud del momento, convirtiéndolo en el segundo más grande jamás registrado. Dentro de horas, olas de hasta 100 pies de altura se estrellaron contra las costas del océano Índico, desde Indonesia hasta Somalia, ahogando comunidades enteras y borrando décadas de desarrollo en minutos.

  Indonesia soportó la peor parte de la catástrofe. La provincia de Aceh, más cercana al epicentro, perdió aproximadamente 170,000 personas-más de la mitad del número de muertes confirmadas en todo el mundo. Pueblos de pescadores enteros desaparecieron. En Tailandia, el tsunami sorprendió a turistas y locales en playas populares; casi 5,400 murieron, muchos de ellos extranjeros de vacaciones. Sri Lanka reportó más de 35,000 muertes. India, Somalia, Kenia y Tanzania también sufrieron bajas significativas, aunque la mayoría carecía de la infraestructura para contarlas con precisión.

  El desastre llegó sin casi ninguna advertencia. A diferencia de los terremotos, que sacuden el suelo y hacen que la gente huya, los tsunamis a menudo dejan el océano visiblemente retrocediendo antes de que las olas golpeen-un detalle que muchos residentes costeros no sabían reconocer. Las estaciones sísmicas detectaron el terremoto dentro de minutos, pero no existía un sistema de alerta de tsunami del océano Índico en 2004. El Pacífico tenía uno después del terremoto de Chile de 1960; el océano Índico no. Esa ausencia significó que no se emitieron alertas oficiales a las poblaciones vulnerables antes de que las olas golpearan.

  La respuesta humanitaria fue sin precedentes en escala. Los gobiernos se comprometieron con más de $13 mil millones en ayuda. Las organizaciones de socorro movilizaron miles de trabajadores. El desastre expuso cuán poco sabía el mundo desarrollado sobre la física de tsunamis y sistemas de alerta temprana, impulsando un esfuerzo global por infraestructura de monitoreo costero. Dentro de tres años, el Sistema de Alerta de Tsunami del Océano Índico entró en funcionamiento.

  El evento remodeló la preparación para desastres en todo el mundo y siguió siendo el tsunami más mortífero registrado. Una década después, el terremoto de Tōhoku de 2011 en Japón desencadenaría un tsunami más grande, pero murieron menos personas-en parte porque los sistemas de alerta de Japón funcionaron. El tsunami de 2004 no tuvo tal ventaja, convirtiéndolo menos en un fracaso de la naturaleza que en un fracaso de la preparación.
generatedAt: "2026-05-29T11:54:40.399Z"
fr:
lede: Le 26 décembre 2004, un séisme massif sous-marin près de Sumatra a déclenché un tsunami qui s'est propagé dans l'océan Indien, tuant environ 230 000 personnes. Des communautés côtières entières en Indonésie, Thaïlande, Sri Lanka et au-delà ont été détruites en quelques minutes. C'était l'une des catastrophes naturelles les plus meurtrières de l'histoire enregistrée, et elle a mis en évidence l'absence quasi totale de systèmes d'alerte qui auraient pu sauver des milliers de vies.
summaryShort: Un séisme de magnitude 9,1 au large de Sumatra le 26 décembre 2004 a déclenché un tsunami qui a tué environ 230 000 personnes dans l'océan Indien-l'une des catastrophes naturelles les plus meurtrières de l'histoire enregistrée.
summaryLong: |-
  Le matin du 26 décembre 2004, une rupture massive du fond marin au large de la côte ouest de Sumatra a déchaîné l'un des tsunamis les plus destructeurs de la planète. Le séisme a enregistré 9,1 sur l'échelle de magnitude du moment, ce qui en fait le deuxième plus grand jamais enregistré. En quelques heures, des vagues atteignant 100 pieds de hauteur se sont abattues sur les côtes du bassin de l'océan Indien, de l'Indonésie à la Somalie, noyant des communautés entières et effaçant des décennies de développement en quelques minutes.

  L'Indonésie a subi le poids de la catastrophe. La province d'Aceh, la plus proche de l'épicentre, a perdu environ 170 000 personnes-plus de la moitié du bilan des décès confirmés dans le monde. Des villages de pêcheurs entiers ont disparu. En Thaïlande, le tsunami a surpris touristes et résidents sur les plages populaires; près de 5 400 personnes sont décédées, dont beaucoup d'étrangers en vacances. Sri Lanka a signalé plus de 35 000 décès. L'Inde, la Somalie, le Kenya et la Tanzanie ont également subi des pertes importantes, bien que la plupart manquaient d'infrastructure pour les compter précisément.

  La catastrophe s'est produite avec presque aucun avertissement. Contrairement aux séismes, qui secouent le sol et poussent les gens à fuir, les tsunamis laissent souvent l'océan se retirer visiblement avant que les vagues ne frappent-un détail que beaucoup de résidents côtiers ne savaient pas reconnaître. Les stations sismiques ont détecté le séisme en quelques minutes, mais aucun système d'alerte au tsunami de l'océan Indien n'existait en 2004. Le Pacifique en avait un après le séisme du Chili de 1960; l'océan Indien ne l'avait pas. Cette absence a signifié qu'aucune alerte officielle n'a atteint les populations vulnérables avant que les vagues ne frappent.

  La réponse humanitaire était sans précédent en envergure. Les gouvernements ont promis plus de 13 milliards de dollars d'aide. Les organismes de secours ont mobilisé des milliers de travailleurs. La catastrophe a exposé le peu que le monde développé savait sur la physique des tsunamis et les systèmes d'alerte précoce, déclenchant une poussée mondiale pour l'infrastructure de surveillance côtière. En trois ans, le système d'alerte aux tsunamis de l'océan Indien est devenu opérationnel.

  L'événement a remodelé la préparation aux catastrophes dans le monde entier et est resté le tsunami le plus meurtrier enregistré. Une décennie plus tard, le séisme de Tōhoku de 2011 au Japon a déclenché un tsunami plus grand, mais moins de personnes sont décédées-en partie parce que les systèmes d'alerte du Japon ont fonctionné. Le tsunami de 2004 n'avait pas cet avantage, ce qui en faisait moins un échec de la nature qu'un échec de la préparation.
generatedAt: "2026-05-29T11:54:48.208Z"
de:
lede: Am 26. Dezember 2004 löste ein massives Unterwasserbeben vor Sumatra einen Tsunami aus, der sich über den Indischen Ozean ausbreitete und etwa 230.000 Menschen tötete. Ganze Küstengemeinden in Indonesien, Thailand, Sri Lanka und darüber hinaus wurden in Minuten zerstört. Es war eine der tödlichsten Naturkatastrophen der aufgezeichneten Geschichte und enthüllte die fast völlige Abwesenheit von Warnsystemen, die Tausende von Menschenleben hätte retten können.
summaryShort: Ein Erdbeben der Stärke 9,1 vor Sumatra am 26. Dezember 2004 löste einen Tsunami aus, der etwa 230.000 Menschen über den Indischen Ozean tötete – eine der tödlichsten Naturkatastrophen der aufgezeichneten Geschichte.
summaryLong: |-
  Am Morgen des 26. Dezember 2004 entfesselte ein massiver Riss im Meeresboden vor der Westküste Sumatras einen der zerstörerischsten Tsunamis des Planeten. Das Erdbeben erreichte 9,1 auf der Momenten-Magnituden-Skala und war damit das zweitgrößte je registrierte. Innerhalb von Stunden schlugen Wellen von bis zu 100 Fuß Höhe an Küsten über das gesamte Indische Ozean-Becken ein, von Indonesien bis Somalia, ertränkten ganze Gemeinden und löschten Jahrzehnte der Entwicklung in Minuten aus.

  Indonesien trug die Hauptlast der Katastrophe. Die Provinz Aceh, die dem Epizentrum am nächsten lag, verlor schätzungsweise 170.000 Menschen – mehr als die Hälfte der weltweit bestätigten Todesfälle. Ganze Fischerdörfer verschwanden. In Thailand überraschte der Tsunami Touristen und Einheimische gleichermaßen an beliebten Stränden; fast 5.400 starben, viele von ihnen Ausländer im Urlaub. Sri Lanka meldete über 35.000 Todesfälle. Indien, Somalia, Kenia und Tansania erlitten ebenfalls erhebliche Verluste, obwohl den meisten die Infrastruktur fehlte, um sie genau zu erfassen.

  Die Katastrophe kam fast ohne Warnung. Im Gegensatz zu Erdbeben, die den Boden erschüttern und Menschen zum Fliehen bringen, zieht sich der Ozean bei Tsunamis oft sichtbar zurück, bevor die Wellen zuschlagen – ein Detail, das viele Küstenbewohner nicht zu erkennen wussten. Seismische Stationen erkannten das Beben innerhalb von Minuten, aber 2004 existierte kein Tsunami-Warnsystem für den Indischen Ozean. Der Pazifik hatte eines nach dem Erdbeben in Chile 1960; der Indische Ozean nicht. Diese Abwesenheit bedeutete, dass vor dem Einschlag der Wellen keine offiziellen Warnungen die gefährdete Bevölkerung erreichten.

  Die humanitäre Reaktion war beispiellos im Ausmaß. Regierungen versprachen über 13 Milliarden US-Dollar an Hilfe. Hilfsorganisationen mobilisierten Tausende von Arbeitern. Die Katastrophe enthüllte, wie wenig die entwickelte Welt über Tsunami-Physik und Frühwarnsysteme wusste, und löste eine globale Anstrengung zur Schaffung von Küstenüberwachungsinfrastruktur aus. Innerhalb von drei Jahren ging das Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System in Betrieb.

  Das Ereignis gestaltete die Katastrophenvorsorge weltweit um und blieb der tödlichste Tsunami der Aufzeichnungen. Ein Jahrzehnt später würde das Erdbeben von Tōhoku 2011 in Japan einen größeren Tsunami auslösen, aber weniger Menschen starben – teilweise weil Japans Warnsysteme funktioniert haben. Der Tsunami von 2004 hatte diesen Vorteil nicht, was ihn weniger zu einem Versagen der Natur als zu einem Versagen der Vorbereitung macht.
generatedAt: "2026-05-29T11:54:56.587Z"
