2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

Earthquake
title = 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
date = December 26, 2004

---

depth = 30 km (19 mi)
location = coord|3.316|N|95.854|E|type:landmark_scale:50000000|display=inline,title

Tsunami strikes Ao Nang, Thailand.
type = undersea (subduction) earthquake
tsunami = Yes
magnitude = 9.3 "M"_w
countries affected = Indonesia (mainly in Aceh)
Sri Lanka
India (mostly in Tamil Nadu)
Thailand
casualties = 229,866 [If the death toll in Myanmar was 400-600 as claimed by dissident groups there rather just 61 or 90, more than 230,000 people would have perished in total from the Tsunami.] 2nd deadliest earthquake of all timeThe 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake was caused by subduction and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing more than 225,000 people in eleven countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to m to ft|30|precision=-1|abbr=no|wiki=yes high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand were hardest hit.

With a magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3, it is the second largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. This earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 cm (0.5 inches) [Walton, Marsha. " [http://edition.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/05/19/sumatra.quake/index.html Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded] ." "CNN." May 20, 2005] and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. [West, Michael; Sanches, John J.; McNutt, Stephen R. " [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/308/5725/1144 Periodically Triggered Seismicity at Mount Wrangell, Alaska, After the Sumatra Earthquake] ." "Science." Vol. 308, No. 5725, 1144–1146. May 20, 2005.] The disaster is known by the scientific community as the Great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, [Lay, T., Kanamori, H., Ammon, C., Nettles, M., Ward, S., Aster, R., Beck, S., Bilek, S., Brudzinski, M., Butler, R., DeShon, H., Ekström, G., Satake, K., Sipkin, S., The Great Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake of December 26, 2004, Science, 308, 1127–1133, doi:10.1126/science.1112250, 2005] and is also known as the Asian Tsunami and the Boxing Day Tsunami.

The plight of the many affected people and countries prompted a widespread humanitarian response. In all, the worldwide community donated more than $7 billion (2004 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid.

Earthquake characteristics

[
Epicentre of the earthquake, just north of Simeulue Island]

The earthquake was initially reported as moment magnitude 9.0. In February 2005 scientists revised the estimate of the magnitude to 9.3. [McKee, Maggie. " [http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6991 Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated] ." "New Scientist." February 9, 2005.] Although the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has accepted these new numbers, the United States Geological Survey has so far not changed its estimate of 9.1. The most recent studies in 2006 have obtained a magnitude of M_w 9.1 to 9.3. Dr. Hiroo Kanamori of the California Institute of Technology believes that M_w = 9.2 is a good representative value for the size of this great earthquake. [EERI Publication 2006–06, page 14.]

The hypocentre of the main earthquake was at coord|3.316|N|95.854|E|type:landmark_scale:50000000, approximately 160 km (100 mi), in the Indian Ocean just north of Simeulue island, off the western coast of northern Sumatra, at a depth of 30 km (19 mi) below mean sea level (initially reported as 10 km). The earthquake itself (apart from the tsunami) was felt as far away as Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and the Maldives.

Indonesia lies between the Pacific Ring of Fire along the north-eastern islands adjacent to and including New Guinea and the Alpide belt along the south and west from Sumatra, Java, Bali, Flores, and Timor.

Great earthquakes such as the Sumatra-Andaman event, which are invariably associated with megathrust events in subduction zones, have seismic moments that can account for a significant fraction of the global earthquake moment across century-scale time periods. The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake was the largest earthquake since 1964, and the second largest since the Kamchatka earthquake of October 16, 1737.

Of all the seismic moment released by earthquakes in the 100 years from 1906 through 2005, roughly one-eighth was due to the Sumatra-Andaman event. This quake, together with the Good Friday Earthquake (Alaska, 1964) and the Great Chilean Earthquake (1960), account for almost half of the total moment. The much smaller but still catastrophic 1906 San Francisco earthquake is included in the diagram at right for perspective. M_w denotes the magnitude of an earthquake on the moment magnitude scale.

Since 1900 the only earthquakes recorded with a greater magnitude were the 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake (magnitude 9.5) and the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake in Prince William Sound (9.2). The only other recorded earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or greater was off Kamchatka, Russia, on November 4, 1952 (magnitude 9.0). [" [http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/world/1952_11_04.html Kamchatka Earthquake, November 4, 1952] ." "United States Geological Survey."] Each of these megathrust earthquakes also spawned tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean, but the death toll from these was significantly lower. The worst of these caused only a few thousand deaths, primarily because of the lower population density along the coasts near affected areas and the much greater distances to more populated coasts.

Other very large megathrust earthquakes occurred in 1868 (Peru, Nazca Plate and South American Plate); 1827 (Colombia, Nazca Plate and South American Plate); 1812 (Venezuela, Caribbean Plate and South American Plate) and 1700 (Cascadia Earthquake, western U.S. and Canada, Juan de Fuca Plate and North American Plate). These are all believed to have been of greater than magnitude 9, but no accurate measurements were available at the time.

Tectonic plates

The earthquake was unusually large in geographical extent. An estimated 1,600 km (994 mi) of faultline slipped about 15 m (50 ft) along the subduction zone where the India Plate slides under the Burma Plate. The slip did not happen instantaneously but took place in two phases over a period of several minutes. Seismographic and acoustic data indicate that the first phase involved a rupture about 400 km (250 mi) long and 100 km (60 mi) wide, located 30 km (19 mi) beneath the sea bed—the longest rupture ever known to have been caused by an earthquake. The rupture proceeded at a speed of about 2.8 km/s (1.7 mi/s) or 10,000 km/h (6,300 mph), beginning off the coast of Aceh and proceeding north-westerly over a period of about 100 seconds. A pause of about another 100 seconds took place before the rupture continued northwards towards the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, the northern rupture occurred more slowly than in the south, at about 2.1 km/s (1.3 mi/s) or 7,600 km/h (4,700 mph), continuing north for another five minutes to a plate boundary where the fault changes from subduction to strike-slip (the two plates push past one another in opposite directions). This reduced the speed of the water displacement and so reducing the size of the tsunami that hit the northern part of the Indian Ocean. [Kostel, Ken; Tobin, Mary. " [http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/news/2005/07_20_05.htm The Sound of a Distant Rumble: Researchers Track Underwater Noise Generated by December 26 Earthquake] ." "Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory." July 20, 2005.]

The India Plate is part of the great Indo-Australian Plate, which underlies the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, and is drifting north-east at an average of 6 cm/year (2 inches per year). The India Plate meets the Burma Plate (which is considered a portion of the great Eurasian Plate) at the Sunda Trench. At this point the India Plate subducts beneath the Burma Plate, which carries the Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Islands and northern Sumatra. The India Plate slips deeper and deeper beneath the Burma Plate until the increasing temperature and pressure drive volatiles out of the subducting plate. These volatiles rise into the crust above and trigger melt which exits the earth's crust through volcanoes in the form of a volcanic arc. The volcanic activity that results as the Indo-Australian plate subducts the Eurasian plate has created the Sunda Arc.

As well as the sideways movement between the plates, the sea bed is estimated to have risen by several metres, displacing an estimated 30 km³ (7 cu mi) of water and triggering devastating tsunami waves. The waves did not originate from a point source, as was inaccurately depicted in some illustrations of their paths of travel, but rather radiated outwards along the entire 1,600 km (994 mi) length of the rupture (acting as a line source). This greatly increased the geographical area over which the waves were observed, reaching as far as Mexico, Chile and the Arctic. The raising of the sea bed significantly reduced the capacity of the Indian Ocean, producing a permanent rise in the global sea level by an estimated 0.1 mm. [Bilham, Roger. " [http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;308/5725/1126 A Flying Start, Then a Slow Slip] ." "Science." Vol. 308, No. 5725, 1126–1127. May 20, 2005.]

Aftershocks and other earthquakes

USGS)

Numerous aftershocks were reported off the Andaman Islands, the Nicobar Islands and the region of the original epicentre in the hours and days that followed. The largest aftershock, which originated off the coast of the Sumatran island of Nias, registered a magnitude of 8.7, [MarketWatch. " [http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=26681113&brk=1 8.7 quake jars Sumatra, at least 300 dead] ." "Investors.com." March 28, 2005.] prompting debate among seismologists as to whether it should be classified as an aftershock of the December 2004 quake or as a "triggered earthquake" (which typically differs from an aftershock in that it is not located along the same fault line and may be as large or larger than the earthquake which triggered it). [cite web|url=http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/homes/s9535097/|last=McKernon|first=Conor|title=Science and Engineering at The University of Edinburgh School of Geosciences|accessdate=2006-04-22] This earthquake was so large that it produced its own aftershocks (some registering a magnitude of as great as 6.1) and presently ranks as the 7th largest earthquake on record since 1900. Other aftershocks of up to magnitude 6.6 continued to shake the region daily for up to three or four months. [Staff Writer. " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4430255.stm Sumatra shaken by new earthquake] ." "BBC News." April 10, 2005.] ["." " [http://en.wikinews.org/ WIKINEWS] ." April 10, 2005.] As well as continuing aftershocks, the energy released by the original earthquake continued to make its presence felt well after the event. A week after the earthquake, its reverberations could still be measured, providing valuable scientific data about the Earth's interior.

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake came just three days after a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in an uninhabited region west of New Zealand's sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands, and north of Australia's Macquarie Island. This is unusual, since earthquakes of magnitude 8 or more occur only about once per year on average. [ [http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/faq.php USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: FAQ] .] Some seismologists have speculated about a connection between these two earthquakes, saying that the former one might have been a catalyst to the Indian Ocean earthquake, as the two earthquakes happened on opposite sides of the Indo-Australian Plate. However, the U.S. Geological Survey sees no evidence of a causal relationship in this incident. Coincidentally, the earthquake struck almost exactly one year (to the hour) after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake killed an estimated 30,000 people in the city of Bam in Iran on December 26, 2003. [cite web|url=http://www.ecologynews.com/ecologynews102.html|title=Earthquake-Tsunami Event of Christmas/Boxing Day 2004: Frames of Alternative Analysis or Perception|accessdate=2006-04-22]

Some scientists confirm that the December earthquake had activated Leuser Mountain, a volcano in Aceh province along the same range of peaks as Mount Talang, while the 2005 Sumatran earthquake had sparked activity in Lake Toba, an ancient crater in Sumatra. [Rinaldo, Aditya. " [http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1317370,00050004.htm Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano spews into life] ." "Hindustan Times." April 12, 2005.] Geologists say that the eruption of Mount Talang in April 2005 is connected to the December earthquake. [cite web|title=Indonesian Volcanoes Erupt; Thousands Evacuated|url=http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/5-4-13/27829.html|accessdate=2006-04-22|date=April 13, 2005|last=Johnston|first=Tim|publisher=VOA News]

Energy released by the earthquake

The energy released "on the earth's surface only", "M"_Ewhich is the "seismic potential for damage", by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami was estimated at 1.1×10¹⁷ joules [ [http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2004/eq_041226/neic_slav_e.html USGS Energy and Broadband Solution] ] or 26.3 megatons of TNT. This energy is equivalent to over 1502 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, but less than that of Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated. However, this is but a tiny fraction of the total work done "M"_W (and thus energy) by this quake, 4.0×10²⁹ ergs (40 ZJ) [ [http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2004/eq_041226/neic_slav_hrv.html USGS, Harvard Moment Tensor Solution] ] , the vast majority underground. This equates to 4.0×10²² J, over 363 thousand times more than its "M"_E. This is a truly enormous figure, equivalent to 9,560 gigatons of TNT equivalent (550 million times that of Hiroshima), or about 370 years of energy use in the United States at 2005 levels of 1.08×10²⁰ J.

The only recorded earthquakes with a larger "M"_W were the 1960 Chilean and 1964 Alaskan quakes, with 2.5×10³⁰ ergs (250 ZJ) and 7.5×10²⁹ ergs (75 ZJ) respectively. [ [http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/topics/measure.php USGS:Measuring the size of earthquakes] ] Please see [http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/topics/measure.php USGS:Measuring the size of earthquakes] .

The earthquake generated seismic oscillation of the Earth's surface of up to 20–30 cm (8–12 in), equivalent to the effect of the tidal forces caused by the Sun and Moon. The shock waves of the earthquake were felt across the planet; as far away as the U.S. state of Oklahoma, where vertical movements of 3 mm (0.12 in) were recorded.

Because of its enormous energy release and shallow rupture depth, the earthquake generated remarkable seismic ground motions around the globe, particularly due to huge Rayleigh (surface) elastic waves that exceeded 1 cm in vertical amplitude everywhere on Earth. The record section plot below displays vertical displacements of the Earth's surface recorded by seismometers from the IRIS/USGS Global Seismographic Network plotted with respect to time (since the earthquake initiation) on the horizontal axis, and vertical displacements of the Earth on the vertical axis (note the 1 cm scale bar at the bottom for scale). The seismograms are arranged vertically by distance from the epicenter in degrees. The earliest, lower amplitude, signal is that of the compressional (P) wave, which takes about 22 minutes to reach the other side of the planet (the antipode; in this case near Ecuador). The largest amplitude signals are seismic surface waves that reach the antipode after about 100 minutes. The surface waves can be clearly seen to reinforce near the antipode (with the closest seismic stations in Ecuador), and to subsequently encircle the planet to return to the epicentral region after about 200 minutes. A major aftershock (magnitude 7.1) can be seen at the closest stations starting just after the 200 minute mark. This aftershock would be considered a major earthquake under ordinary circumstances, but is dwarfed by the mainshock.

The shift of mass and the massive release of energy very slightly altered the Earth's rotation. The exact amount is not yet known, but theoretical models suggest the earthquake shortened the length of a day by 2.68 microseconds, due to a decrease in the oblateness of the Earth. [Cook-Anderson, Gretchen; Beasley, Dolores. " [http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2005/jan/HQ_05011_earthquake.html NASA Details Earthquake Effects on the Earth] ." "National Aeronautics and Space Administration (press release)." January 10, 2005.] It also caused the Earth to minutely "wobble" on its axis by up to 2.5 cm (1 in) in the direction of 145° east longitude, [Schechner, Sam. " [http://slate.msn.com/id/2111443/ Earthquakes vs. the Earth's Rotation] ." "Slate." December 27, 2004.] or perhaps by up to 5 or 6 cm (2.0 to 2.4 in). [Staff Writer. " [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/29/content_2389519.htm Italian scientists say Asian quakes cause Earth's axis shifted] ." "Xinhua." December 29, 2004.] However, because of tidal effects of the Moon, the length of a day increases at an average of 15 µs per year, so any rotational change due to the earthquake will be lost quickly. Similarly, the natural Chandler wobble of the Earth, which in some cases can be up to 15 m (50 ft), will eventually offset the minor wobble produced by the earthquake.

More spectacularly, there was 10 m (33 ft) movement laterally and 4–5 m (13–16 ft) vertically along the fault line. Early speculation was that some of the smaller islands south-west of Sumatra, which is on the Burma Plate (the southern regions are on the Sunda Plate), might have moved south-west by up to 36 m (118 ft), but more accurate data released more than a month after the earthquake found the movement to be about 20 cm (7.9 in). [cite news|author=Staff Writer|title=Quake moved Sumatra by only 20 centimeters: Danish scientists|date=January 31, 2005|work=Agence France Presse] Since movement was vertical as well as lateral, some coastal areas may have been moved to below sea level. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands appear to have shifted south-west by around 1.25 m (4.1 ft) and to have sunk by 1 m (3.28 ft). [cite news|last=Bagla|first=Pallava|work=Science Now|title=After the Earth Moved|date=January 28, 2005]

In February 2005, the Royal Navy vessel HMS "Scott" surveyed the seabed around the earthquake zone, which varies in depth between 1,000 m and 5,000 m (3,300 ft and 16,500 ft). The survey, conducted using a high-resolution, multi-beam sonar system, revealed that the earthquake had made a huge impact on the topography of the seabed. 1,500-meter (5,000 ft) high thrust ridges created by previous geologic activity along the fault had collapsed, generating landslides several kilometers wide. One such landslide consisted of a single block of rock some 100 m high and 2 km long (300 ft by 1.25 mi). The momentum of the water displaced by tectonic uplift had also dragged massive slabs of rock, each weighing millions of tons, as far as 10 km (7 mi) across the seabed. An oceanic trench several kilometres wide was exposed in the earthquake zone. [Knight, Will. " [http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6994 Asian tsunami seabed pictured with sonar] ." "New Scientist." February 10, 2005.]

The TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason 1 satellites happened to pass over the tsunami as it was crossing the ocean. [Staff Writer. " [http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/newsroom/press-releases/20050111.html NASA/French Satellite Data Reveal New Details of Tsunami] ." "Jet Propulsion Laboratory/National Aeronautics and Space Administration." January 11, 2005.] These satellites carry radars that measure precisely the height of the water surface; anomalies of the order of 50 cm (20 in) were measured. Measurements from these satellites may prove invaluable for the understanding of the earthquake and tsunami. [ [http://www.aviso.oceanobs.com/en/applications/geodesy-and-geophysics/tsunamis/index.html TOPEX/Poseidon Satellite Data on the December 26, 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean] . "Aviso."] Unlike data from tide gauges installed on shores, measurements obtained in the middle of the ocean can be used for computing the parameters of the source earthquake without having to compensate for the complex ways in which close proximity to the coast changes the size and shape of a wave.

Tsunami characteristics

The sudden vertical rise of the seabed by several metres during the earthquake displaced massive volumes of water, resulting in a tsunami that struck the coasts of the Indian Ocean. A tsunami which causes damage far away from its source is sometimes called a "teletsunami", and is much more likely to be produced by vertical motion of the seabed than by horizontal motion. [cite book|last=Lorca|first=Emilio|coauthors=Recabarren, Margot|title=Earthquakes and Tsunamis|year=1997]

The tsunami, like all others, behaved very differently in deep water than in shallow water. In deep ocean water, tsunami waves form only a small hump, barely noticeable and harmless, which generally travels at a very high speed of 500 to 1,000 km/h (310 to 620 mph); in shallow water near coastlines, a tsunami slows down to only tens of kilometres an hour but in doing so forms large destructive waves. Scientists investigating the damage in Aceh found evidence that the wave reached a height of 24 m when coming ashore along large stretches of the coastline, rising to 30 m (100 ft) in some areas when travelling inland. [Paulson, Tom. " [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/211012_tsunamiscience07.html New findings super-size our tsunami threat] ." "Seattlepi.com." February 7, 2005.]

Radar satellites recorded the heights of tsunami waves in deep water: at two hours after the earthquake, the maximum height was 60 cm (2 ft). These are the first such observations ever made. Unfortunately these observations could not be used to provide a warning, since the satellites were not built for that purpose and the data took hours to analyse. [Leslie, John. " [http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2365.htm NOAA Scientists able to Measure Tsunami Height from Space] ." "NOAA Magazine." January 10, 2005.] [McKee, Maggie. " [http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6854 Radar satellites capture tsunami wave height] ." "New Scientist." January 6, 2005.]

According to Tad Murty, vice-president of the Tsunami Society, the total energy of the tsunami waves was equivalent to about five megatons of TNT (20 petajoules). This is more than twice the total explosive energy used during all of World War II (including the two atomic bombs), but still a couple of orders of magnitude less than the energy released in the earthquake itself. In many places the waves reached as far as 2 km (1.24 mi) inland. [Pearce, Fred; Holmes, Bob. " [http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18524825.100 Tsunami: The impact will last for decades] ." "New Scientist." January 15, 2005.]

Because the km to mi|1600|abbr=yes|wiki=yes fault affected by the earthquake was in a nearly north-south orientation, the greatest strength of the tsunami waves was in an east-west direction. Bangladesh, which lies at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal, had very few casualties despite being a low-lying country relatively near the epicenter. It also benefited from the fact that the earthquake proceeded more slowly in the northern rupture zone, greatly reducing the energy of the water displacements in that region.

Coasts that have a landmass between them and the tsunami's location of origin are usually safe; however, tsunami waves can sometimes diffract around such landmasses. Thus, the Indian state of Kerala was hit by the tsunami despite being on the western coast of India, and the western coast of Sri Lanka also suffered substantial impacts. Also distance alone was no guarantee of safety; Somalia was hit harder than Bangladesh despite being much farther away.

Because of the distances involved, the tsunami took anywhere from fifteen minutes to seven hours (for Somalia) to reach the various coastlines. [Time travel
http://tsun.sscc.ru/tsulab/20041226trt.htm Tsunami Laboratory, Novosibirsk, Russia] .] [Time travel
http://staff.aist.go.jp/kenji.satake/Sumatra-E.html Active Fault Research Center: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan] .] The northern regions of the Indonesian island of Sumatra were hit very quickly, while Sri Lanka and the east coast of India were hit roughly 90 minutes to two hours later. Thailand was also struck about two hours later despite being closer to the epicentre, because the tsunami travelled more slowly in the shallow Andaman Sea off its western coast.

The tsunami was noticed as far as Struisbaai in South Africa, some 8,500 km (5,300 mi) away, where a 1.5 m (5 ft) high tide surged on shore about 16 hours after the earthquake. It took a relatively long time to reach this spot at the southernmost point of Africa, probably because of the broad continental shelf off South Africa and because the tsunami would have followed the South African coast from east to west. The tsunami also reached Antarctica, where tidal gauges at Japan's Showa Base recorded oscillations of up to a metre, with disturbances lasting a couple of days. [ [http://www1.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/KANKYO/KAIYO/KOUHOU/iotunami/iotunami_eng.html "Indian Ocean Tsunami" at Syowa Station, Antarctica] , Hydrographic and Oceanographic Dept. Japan Coast Guard.]

Some of the tsunami's energy escaped into the Pacific Ocean, where it produced small but measurable tsunamis along the western coasts of North and South America, typically around 20 to 40 cm (7.9 to 15.7 in). [ [http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/IndianOSite/IndianO12-26-04.htm Indian Ocean Tsunami of 26 December, 2004] . "West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (USGS)." December 31, 2004.] At Manzanillo, Mexico, a 2.6 m (8.5 ft) crest-to-trough tsunami was measured. As well, the tsunami was large enough to be detected in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This puzzled many scientists, as the tsunamis measured in some parts of South America were larger than those measured in some parts of the Indian Ocean. It has been theorised that the tsunamis were focused and directed at long ranges by the mid-ocean ridges which run along the margins of the continental plates. [Carey, Bjorn. " [http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/050825_tsunami_waves.html Tsunami Waves Channeled Around the Globe in 2004 Disaster] ." "LiveScience." August 25, 2005.]

igns and warnings

Despite a lag of up to several hours between the earthquake and the impact of the tsunami, nearly all of the victims were taken completely by surprise. There were no tsunami warning systems in the Indian Ocean to detect tsunamis or to warn the general populace living around the ocean. Tsunami detection is not easy because while a tsunami is in deep water it has little height and a network of sensors is needed to detect it. Setting up the communications infrastructure to issue timely warnings is an even bigger problem, particularly in a relatively poor part of the world.

Tsunamis are much more frequent in the Pacific Ocean because of earthquakes in the "Ring of Fire", and an effective tsunami warning system has long been in place there. Although the extreme western edge of the Ring of Fire extends into the Indian Ocean (the point where this earthquake struck), no warning system exists in that ocean. Tsunamis there are relatively rare despite earthquakes being relatively frequent in Indonesia. The last major tsunami was caused by the Krakatoa eruption of 1883. It should be noted that not every earthquake produces large tsunamis; on March 28, 2005, a magnitude 8.7 earthquake hit roughly the same area of the Indian Ocean but did not result in a major tsunami.

In the aftermath of the disaster, there is now an awareness of the need for a tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean. The United Nations started working on an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System and by 2005 had the initial steps in place. Some have even proposed creating a unified global tsunami warning system, to include the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean.

The first warning sign of a possible tsunami is the earthquake itself. However, tsunami can strike thousands of kilometres away where the earthquake is only felt weakly or not at all. Also, in the minutes preceding a tsunami strike, the sea often recedes temporarily from the coast. Around the Indian Ocean, this rare sight reportedly induced people, especially children, to visit the coast to investigate and collect stranded fish on as much as 2.5 km (1.6 mi) of exposed beach, with fatal results. [Block, Melissa. " [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4246573 Sri Lankans Seek Lost Relatives After Tsunami] ." "All Things Considered/NPR." December 27, 2004.]

One of the few coastal areas to evacuate ahead of the tsunami was on the Indonesian island of Simeulue, very close to the epicentre. Island folklore recounted an earthquake and tsunami in 1907, and the islanders fled to inland hills after the initial shaking yet before the tsunami struck. [Campbell, Matthew; Loveard, Keith; et al. " [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18690-1422835,00.html Tsunami disaster: Focus: Nature's timebomb] ." "Times Online." January 2, 2005.] On Maikhao beach in northern Phuket, Thailand, a 10-year-old British tourist named Tilly Smith had studied tsunami in geography class at school and recognised the warning signs of the receding ocean and frothing bubbles. She and her parents warned others on the beach, which was evacuated safely. [Staff Writer. " [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/01/ugeog.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/01/01/ixportaltop.html Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives] ." "news.telegraph." January 1, 2005.] John Chroston, a biology teacher from Scotland, also recognised the signs at Kamala Bay north of Phuket, taking a busload of vacationers and locals to safety on higher ground.

Anthropologists had initially expected the aboriginal population of the Andaman Islands to be badly affected by the tsunami and even feared the endangered Onge tribe could have been wiped out. Of the six native tribes only the Nicobarese, who had converted to Christianity and taken up agriculture in place of their previous hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and mainland settlers had suffered significant losses. Onge tribespeople explained that the sea and land always fought over boundaries. First the spirits became angry and shook the trees and then when they saw changes in the sea and clouds they knew “"the sea would enter the jungle and mix with the land until they decided on a new boundary"”. The aboriginal tribes evacuated and suffered few or no losses.

Retreat and rise cycle

The tsunami was a succession of several waves, occurring in retreat and rise cycles with a period of over 30 minutes between each peak. The third wave was the most powerful and reached highest, occurring about an hour and a half after the first wave. Smaller tsunamis continued to occur for the rest of the day.

Damage and casualties

The U.S. Geological Survey initially recorded the toll as 283,100 killed, 14,100 missing, and 1,126,900 people displaced. However, more recent analysis compiled by the United Nations lists a total of 229,866 people lost, including 186,983 dead and 42,883 missing. [UN Office of the Envoy for Tsunami Recovery. "The Human Toll".] The figure excludes 400 to 600 people who are believed to have perished in Myanmar, which is more than that government's official figure of only 61 dead." [http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=2255 Myanmar is withholding true casualties figures, says Thai priest] ". "A missioner in Ranong, a town on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, says locals talk about 600 victims. Burmese political dissidents say the same." AsiaNews.it. January 4, 2005. URL accessed 2006-05-07.] If the higher Myanmar figures are reliable, the death toll would include at least 230,000 people. Measured in lives lost, this is one of the ten worst earthquakes in recorded history, as well as the single worst tsunami in history.

The tsunami caused serious damage and deaths as far as the east coast of Africa, with the furthest recorded death due to the tsunami occurring at Rooi Els in South Africa, km to mi|8000|abbr=yes|wiki=yes away from the epicentre. In total, eight people in South Africa died due to abnormally high sea levels and waves.

Relief agencies report that one-third of the dead appear to be children. This is a result of the high proportion of children in the populations of many of the affected regions and because children were the least able to resist being overcome by the surging waters. Oxfam went on to report that as many as four times more women than men were killed in some regions because they were waiting on the beach for the fishermen to return and looking after their children in the houses. [Staff Writer. " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4383573.stm Most tsunami dead female - Oxfam] ." "BBC News." March 26, 2005.]

In addition to the large number of local residents, up to 9,000 foreign tourists (mostly Europeans) enjoying the peak holiday travel season were among the dead or missing, especially people from the Nordic countries. The European nation hardest hit may have been Sweden, whose death toll was 543. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7072934.stm | title=Sweden aide quits over bar furore | publisher=BBC News | date=November 1, 2007 | accessdate=2008-07-27]

States of emergency were declared in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Maldives. The United Nations estimated at the outset that the relief operation (which is presently still underway) would be the costliest in human history. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has stated that reconstruction would probably take between five and ten years. Governments and non-governmental organisations fear the final death toll may double as a result of diseases, prompting a massive humanitarian response.

For purposes of establishing timelines of local events, the time zones of affected areas are: UTC+3: (Kenya, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania); UTC+4: (Mauritius, Réunion, Seychelles); UTC+5: (Maldives); UTC+5:30: (India); UTC+6: (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka); UTC+6:30: (Cocos Islands, Myanmar); UTC+7: (Indonesia (western), Thailand); UTC+8: (Malaysia, Singapore). Since the earthquake occurred at 00:58:53 UTC, add the above offsets to find the local time of the earthquake.

"Note: All figures are approximate and subject to change. The first column links to more details on specific countries." ¹ Includes those reported under 'Confirmed'. If no separate estimates are available, the number in this column is the same as reported under 'Confirmed'. ² Does not include approximately 19,000 missing people initially declared by Tamil Tiger authorities from regions under their control. ³ Data includes at least 2,464 foreigners. ⁴ Does not include South African citizens who died outside of South Africa (eg, tourists in Thailand). For more information on those deaths, see this

Countries affected

The earthquake and resulting tsunami affected many countries in Southeast Asia and beyond, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, the Maldives, Somalia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Seychelles and others. Many other countries, especially Australia and those in Europe, had large numbers of citizens traveling in the region on holiday. Both Sweden and Germany lost over 500 citizens each in the disaster.

Event in historical context

This earthquake was the fourth most powerful earthquake recorded since 1900, and the confirmed death toll is just under 200,000 due to the ensuing tsunami. The deadliest earthquakes since 1900 were the Tangshan, China earthquake of 1976, in which at least 255,000 were killed; the earthquake of 1927 in Xining, Qinghai, China (200,000); the Great Kanto earthquake which struck Tokyo in 1923 (143,000); and the Gansu, China, earthquake of 1920 (200,000). The deadliest known earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China, with an estimated death toll of 830,000, though figures from this time period may not be reliable. [ [http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/most_destructive.php Most Destructive Known Earthquakes on Record in the World (Earthquakes with 50,000 or More Deaths)] . "United States Geological Survey."]

The 2004 tsunami is the deadliest in recorded history. Prior to 2004, the deadliest recorded tsunami in the Pacific Ocean was in 1782, when 40,000 people were killed by a tsunami in the South China Sea. [ja iconNot Awa, Japan 1703, alleged 100,000, which is probably a misreading of the 10,000 toll given in Watanabe, H., 1998, "Nihon higai tsunami so_ran, dai ni-han " (Comprehensive list of destructive tsunamis to hit the Japanese islands, 2ndedition): Tokyo, University of Tokyo Press, p. 238] The tsunami created by the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa is thought to have resulted in 36,000 deaths. The most deadly tsunami between 1900 and 2004 occurred in 1908 in Messina, Italy, on the Mediterranean Sea, where the earthquake and tsunami killed 70,000. The most deadly tsunami in the Atlantic Ocean resulted from the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which, combined with the toll from the actual earthquake and resulting fires, killed over 100,000.

The 2004 earthquake and tsunami combined have been described as the deadliest natural disaster since either the 1976 Tangshan earthquake or the 1970 Bhola cyclone, or could conceivably exceed both of these. Because of uncertainty over death tolls, it might never be known for sure which of these natural disasters was the deadliest.

"See also: Library damage resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake"

=Human component in magnitude of da

The human destruction of coral reefs played a significant role in the destruction caused by the tsunami. Many countries across Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, have put forth efforts to destroy the coral surrounding their beaches, and instead make way for shrimp farms and other economic choices. On the Surin Island chain of Thailand's coast, many people were saved as the tsunami rushed against the coral reefs protecting the islands. However, there were many fewer people on these islands, which helps explain the lower death toll. Many reefs areas around the Indian Ocean have been exploded with dynamite because they are considered impediments to shipping, an important part of the South Asian economy.cite news| first=Andrew | last=Browne | title=Tsunami's Aftermath: On Asia's Coasts, Progress Destroys Natural Defenses | work=Wall Street Journal | page=A5|date=December 31, 2004] Similarly, the removal of coastal mangrove trees is believed to have intensified the effect of the tsunami in some locations. These trees, which lined the coast but were removed to make way for coastal residences, might have blocked the force of the tsunami. Another factor is the removal of coastal sand dunes.

Humanitarian, economic and environmental impact

A great deal of humanitarian aid was needed because of widespread damage of the infrastructure, shortages of food and water, and economic damage. Epidemics were of special concern due to the high population density and tropical climate of the affected areas. The main concern of humanitarian and government agencies was to provide sanitation facilities and fresh drinking water to contain the spread of diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis A and B.

There was also a great concern that the death toll could increase as disease and hunger spread. However, because of the initial quick response, this was minimized. [Staff Writer. " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4157947.stm UN upbeat on tsunami hunger aid] ." "BBC News." January 9, 2005.]

In the days following the tsunami, significant effort was spent in burying bodies hurriedly for fear of disease. However, the public health risks may have been exaggerated, and therefore this may not have been the best way to allocate resources. The World Food Programme provided food aid to more than 1.3 million people affected by the tsunami. [ [http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=1858 United Nations: World Food Programme: Report on the Tsunami Crisis] .]

Nations all over the world provided over US$7 billion in aid for damaged regions, with the governments of Australia pledging US$819.9 million (including a US$760.6-million aid package for Indonesia), Germany offering US$660 million, Japan offering US$500 million, Canada offering US$343 million, Norway and The Netherlands offering both US$183 million, the United States offering US$35 million initially (increased to US$350 million), and the World Bank offering US$250 million. Also Italy offered US$ 95 million, increased later to US$ 113 million of which US$ 42 million where donated by the population using the SMS system [cite web|last=Staff Writer|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4145259.stm|title=Tsunami aid: Who's giving what|date=2005-01-27|accessdate=2006-04-22] According to USAID, the US has pledged additional funds in long-term U.S. support to help the tsunami victims rebuild their lives. On February 9, 2005, President Bush asked Congress to increase the U.S. commitment to a total of $950 million. Officials estimated that billions of dollars would be needed. Bush also asked his father, former President George H. W. Bush, and former President Bill Clinton to lead a U.S. effort to provide private aid to the tsunami victims. [Staff Writer. " [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/21/earlyshow/main675227.shtml Clinton, Bush: Tsunami Aid Helping] ." "The Early Show/CBS News." February 21, 2005.]

In mid-March the Asian Development Bank reported that over US$4 billion in aid promised by governments was behind schedule. Sri Lanka reported that it had received no foreign government aid, while foreign individuals had been generous. [Staff Writer. " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4361053.stm Tsunami aid shortfall over $4bn] ." "BBC News." March 18, 2005.] Many charities were given considerable donations from the public. For example, in the UK the public donated roughly £330,000,000 sterling (nearly US$600,000,000). This considerably outweighed the donation by the government and came to an average of about £5.50 (US$10) donated by every citizen.

In August 2006, fifteen local aid staff working on post-tsunami rebuilding were found executed in northeast Sri Lanka after heavy fighting, the main umbrella body for aid agencies in the country said. There had been reports and rumors that the local aid workers had been killed.

Economic impact

The impact on coastal fishing communities and fisherfolk, some of the poorest people in the region, has been devastating with high losses of income earners as well as boats and fishing gear. [Staff Writer. " [http://www.ukabc.org/tsunamis.htm Indian Ocean Tsunamis Devastate Fisherfolk] ." "UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition." December 26, 2004.] In Sri Lanka artisanal fishery, where the use of fish baskets, fishing traps, and spears are commonly used, is an important source of fish for local markets; industrial fishery is the major economic activity, providing direct employment to about 250,000 people. In recent years the fishery industry has emerged as a dynamic export-oriented sector, generating substantial foreign exchange earnings. Preliminary estimates indicate that 66% of the fishing fleet and industrial infrastructure in coastal regions have been destroyed by the wave surges, which will have adverse economic effects both at local and national levels. [Staff Writer. "Food Supply and Food Security Situation in Countries Affected by the Asia Tsunami" "Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations." January 14, 2005.]

But some economists believe that damage to the affected national economies will be minor because losses in the tourism and fishing industries are a relatively small percentage of the GDP. However, others caution that damage to infrastructure is an overriding factor. In some areas drinking water supplies and farm fields may have been contaminated for years by salt water from the ocean. [Pearce, Fred. " [http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6840 Tsunami's salt water may leave islands uninhabitable] ." "New Scientist." January 5, 2005.]

Both the earthquake and the tsunami may have affected shipping in the Malacca Straits by changing the depth of the seabed and by disturbing navigational buoys and old shipwrecks. Compiling new navigational charts may take months or years. [Staff Writer. " [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6791600 Tsunami redrew ship channels, ocean floor] ." "MSNBC/Associated Press." January 5, 2005.]

Countries in the region appealed to tourists to return, pointing out that most tourist infrastructure is undamaged. However, tourists were reluctant to do so for psychological reasons. Even resorts on the Pacific coast of Thailand, which were completely untouched, were hit by cancellations.

Environmental impact

Beyond the heavy toll on human lives, the Indian Ocean earthquake has caused an enormous environmental impact that will affect the region for many years to come. It has been reported that severe damage has been inflicted on ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, forests, coastal wetlands, vegetation, sand dunes and rock formations, animal and plant biodiversity and groundwater. In addition, the spread of solid and liquid waste and industrial chemicals, water pollution and the destruction of sewage collectors and treatment plants threaten the environment even further, in untold ways. The environmental impact will take a long time and significant resources to assess. [Staff Writer. " [http://www.oceansatlas.org/id/71687 Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems] ." "UN Atlas of the Oceans." Accessed: March 10, 2005.]

According to specialists, the main effect is being caused by poisoning of the freshwater supplies and the soil by saltwater infiltration and deposit of a salt layer over arable land. It has been reported that in the Maldives, 16 to 17 coral reef atolls that were overcome by sea waves are totally without fresh water and could be rendered uninhabitable for decades. Uncountable wells that served communities were invaded by sea, sand and earth; and aquifers were invaded through porous rock. Salted-over soil becomes sterile, and it is difficult and costly to restore for agriculture. It also causes the death of plants and important soil micro-organisms. Thousands of rice, mango and banana plantations in Sri Lanka were destroyed almost entirely and will take years to recover.The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is working with governments of the region in order to determine the severity of the ecological impact and how to address it. [Falt, Eric. " [http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=414&ArticleID=4692&l=en Environmental Issues Emerging from Wreckage of Asian Tsunami] ." "United Nations Environment Programme."] UNEP has decided to earmark a US$1,000,000 emergency fund and to establish a Task Force to respond to requests for technical assistance from countries affected by the tsunami. [cite web|url=http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=434&ArticleID=4818&l=en |title=United Nations Environment Programme; Environment for Development |accessdate=2006-04-22] In response to a request from the Maldivian Government, the Australian Government sent ecological experts to help restore marine environments and coral reefs — the lifeblood of Maldivian tourism. Much of the ecological expertise has been rendered from work with the Great Barrier Reef, in Australia's northeastern waters.

Other effects

Many health professionals and aid workers have reported widespread psychological trauma associated with the tsunami. Traditional beliefs in many of the affected regions state that a relative of the family must bury the body of the dead, and in many cases, no body remained to be buried.

The hardest hit area, Aceh, is considered to be a religiously conservative Islamic society and has had no tourism nor any Western presence in recent years due to armed conflict between the Indonesian military and Acehnese separatists. Some believe that the tsunami was divine punishment for lay Muslims shirking their daily prayers and/or following a materialistic lifestyle. Others have said that Allah was angry that there were Muslims killing other Muslims in an ongoing conflict. [Broadway, Bill. " [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57758-2005Jan7.html Divining a Reason for Devastation] ." "Washington Post." January 8, 2005.] Women in Aceh required a special approach from foreign aid agencies, and continue to have unique needs.

In what may be the most significant positive result of the tsunami, the widespread devastation led the main rebel group GAM to declare a cease-fire on December 28, 2004, followed by the Indonesian government, and the two groups resumed long-stalled peace talks, which resulted in a peace agreement signed August 15, 2005. The agreement explicitly cites the tsunami as a justification. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_08_05_aceh.pdf Memorandum of Understanding] between Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement, August 15, 2005.]

The extensive international media coverage of the tsunami, and the role of mass media and journalists in reconstruction, were discussed by editors of newspapers and broadcast media in tsunami-affected areas, in special video-conferences set up by the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre. [cite web |url=http://www.apjc.org.au/program6.html |title=Asia Pacific Journalism Centre - Home Page |accessdate=2007-10-24 |format= |work=]

The December 26, 2004 Asian Tsunami left both the people and government of India in a state of heightened alert. On December 30, 2004, four days after the tsunami, the Portland, Oregon-based company Terra Research notified the India government that its sensors indicated there was a possibility of 7.9 to 8.1 magnitude tectonic shift in the next 12 hours between Sumatra and New Zealand.Press Trust of India (December 30, 2004) "Alert scaled down, capping day long confusion."] In response, the India Home Affairs minister announced that a fresh onslaught of deadly tidal waves were likely along the India southern coast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, even as there was no sign of turbulences in the region. The announcement generated panic in the Indian Ocean region and caused thousands to flee their homes, which resulted in jammed roads.Tran, Tina. (December 30, 2004) Associated Press " [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20041230-1108-tsunami-falsewarning.html False tsunami alarm sparks panic in Indian Ocean region.] "] The announcement was a false alarm and the Home Affairs minister withdrew their announcement. On further investigation, the India government learned that the consulting company Terra Research was run from the home of a self-described earthquake forecaster who had no telephone listing and maintained a website where he sold copies of his detection system. [Associated Press (December 31, 2004) " [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002136533_panic31.html Suspect quake forecast causes panic.] "] Three days after the announcement, Indian National Congress president Sonia Gandhi called called Science & Technology minister Kapil Sibal to express her concern about Sibal's December 30th public warning being "". [The Financial Express (January 2, 2005) " [http://www.expressindia.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=40261 Congress chief steps in as home, S&T ministers lock horns.] "]

Another result of the tsunami, respective toward Indian culture, was the water that washed away centuries of sand from some of the ruins of a 1,200-year-old lost city at Mahabalipuram on the south coast of India. The site, containing such notable structures as a half-buried granite lion near a 7th century Mahablipuram temple and a relic depicting an elephant, is part of what archaeologists believe to be an ancient port city that was swallowed by the sea hundreds of years ago. [Staff Writer. " [http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18524883.800 Tsunami waves exposed remnants of lost city] ." "New Scientist." February 26, 2005.] [Staff Writer. " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4302115.stm India finds more 'tsunami gifts'] ." "BBC News." February 27, 2005.]

The tsunami had severe humanitarian and political impact in Sweden. With no single incident having killed more Swedish people since the battle of Poltava in 1709 (more than the loss of MS Estonia in 1994), the cabinet of Göran Persson was heavily criticized for lack of action. The event was examined by an independent inquiry, "Katastrofkommissionen".

ee also

* List of Indonesian earthquakes
* List of earthquakes
* Tsunami Evaluation Coalition
* May 2006 Java earthquake
* July 2006 Java earthquake
* National Geographic "Seconds From Disaster" episodes

Notes and references

External links

News collections and photographs

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2004/asia_quake_disaster/default.stm BBC News - In-Depth Report: Tsunami Disaster]
* [http://www.channelnewsasia.com/tsunami/ Channel News Asia - One Year On, Memorial & Updates to the Asian Tsunami Disaster]
* [http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/tsunami.oneyear/ CNN - Tsunami, One Year After]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/tsunami/ Guardian Unlimited - Special Report: Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/pages/world/worldspecial4/ New York Times]
* [http://www.smh.com.au/specials/tsunami/ Sydney Morning Herald - Waves of Devastation]
*Newseum front page archive|year=04|day=27|month=12
* [http://www.crisp.nus.edu.sg/tsunami/tsunami.html Satellite images of tsunami-affected areas (National University of Singapore)]

cientific and educational

* [http://www.cgs.uiuc.edu/resources/webvideo/casadevall_sumatra.html The December 26, 2004, Sumatra Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami: Field Perspectives on the Impacts to the Peoples, Cultures, Politics, and Economies of One of the World's Most Vibrant Regions] , Speaker: Tom Casadevall, September 26, 2006. Sponsored by [http://www.cgs.uiuc.edu/index.html Center for Global Studies] and [http://www.cas.uiuc.edu/ Center for Advanced Study] , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
* [http://asc-india.org/lib/20041226-sumatra.htm Special Event Page, Amateur Seismic Centre, India]
* [http://www.geo-world.org/tsunami/tsunami_interactive.html A series of films aimed at K12 age group explaining how earthquakes occur and how the tsunami was generated - Includes footage of school seismograph recording the earthquake]
* [http://www.regentsearthscience.com/tsunami.htm A Comprehensive Inquiry Based Classroom Exercise for High School Students using the actual seismograms]
* [http://rev.seis.sc.edu/earthquakes/2004/12/26/00/58/50 Seismograms for this earthquake via REV, the Rapid Earthquake Viewer]
* [http://www.iris.iris.edu/sumatra/ Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake - IRIS Special Report]