2004 Sumatra Earthquake – Geographic

Aftermath of the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004 in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

by Victoria Heath

On Boxing Day 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake was recorded off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. A 900-mile stretch of fault line where the Indian and Australian tectonic plates meet has been torn apart, causing the ocean floor to rise about 40 meters. Also known as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, the disaster triggered the deadliest tsunami on record.

In the aftermath of the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia

The resulting tsunami occurred within just 20 minutes of the Sumatra earthquake. 100-foot waves hit the beaches of Banda Aceh in Indonesia, killing more than 100,000 people.

The western part of Banda Aceh has an almost flat terrain. The waves in these areas reached between 4-8 metres, reaching greater numbers in the mountainous areas south of Banda Aceh.

Did you enjoy this article? We have thousands for you.

Get instant access to over 1,000 geography journals in our archive dating back to 1935.

Sign up today and you’ll soon be stepping back in time to read all of our amazing features from the past eight decades PLUS… You can also enjoy each new issue of Geographical each month from now on in both print and digital formats.

Simply press the button below to choose the perfect package for you.

If buildings in the area survived the initial shaking caused by the earthquake, most of them would have been destroyed by tsunamis. Debris from the impact of three successive tsunami waves caused large projectile impacts such as cars, trucks, and boats to previously undamaged facilities. Buttresses blocking roads and bridges were swept away and hundreds of bridges destroyed.

Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, Indonesia, about 400 miles from the city of Banda Aceh where the tsunami triggered by the Sumatra earthquake struck. Image: shutterstock

According to the United Nations field office, nearly 131,000 people are confirmed dead and 37,000 people are missing in the North Aceh province of Sumatra. Eighty thousand homes were severely damaged or completely collapsed, and more than 500 thousand people in Sumatra were displaced from their homes.

Tsunami effect elsewhere

The devastation quickly spread to the coasts of Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, as tsunamis moved across the Indian Ocean at 500 miles per hour. Eight hours after the earthquake, more than 5,000 miles away, a tsunami hit the coast of South Africa. In total, the disaster killed nearly 230,000 people in 14 countries.

What caused the earthquake and tsunami?

The earthquake, known as a massive bottom earthquake, occurred as a result of the sliding of a heavy ocean plate under a lighter continental plate. The disaster was caused by the subduction of the India Plate (which was forced under) the delicate Burma Plate, which forms part of the larger Sunda Plate.

Children outside their destroyed home following the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami in Lokanja, Aceh, Indonesia. Photo: France Delien/Shutterstock

It is estimated that the earthquake itself released energy equivalent to 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, and was so large that the planet’s rotation changed as the Earth’s mass changed.

Stay tuned with the Geo newsletter!

In these turbulent times, we are committed to telling broad stories from around the world, highlighting the everyday lives of ordinary but extraordinary people. Stay informed and engaged with Geographical.

Get the latest Geographical news straight to your inbox every Friday!

Learning from the Sumatra earthquake

Three weeks after the tsunami, representatives of 168 countries agreed to the Hyogo Framework for Action which encouraged global support and cooperation for disaster risk reduction.

The Indonesian government, NGOs, donors and individuals have contributed nearly $7 billion. In Aceh, the government has established a high-ranking office to organize recovery work.

At the time of the disaster, there was no official tsunami warning system, with the last major tsunami occurring in 1883. Some small island communities had information about tsunamis from tsunami stories passed down through generations, which helped prevent further loss of life.

However, other witnesses came to the water to explore the ocean floor, or went about their daily activities. Although there were signs such as the sea withdrawing, and unusually large (but not harmful) waves, they were not widely understood as warnings.

An earthquake and tsunami detector installed since 2005 in Aceh, Indonesia

To detect and warn of underwater earthquakes sooner, earthquake sensors have been installed on the ocean floor, along with training for communities in disaster response and evacuation. Now, National Tsunami Warning Centers have also been set up in the countries of the Indian Ocean region which can help alert citizens of impending disasters.

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the GeoArchive to read more about what happened in 2004.

Did you enjoy this article? We have thousands for you.

Get instant access to over 1,000 geography journals in our archive dating back to 1935.

Sign up today and you’ll soon be stepping back in time to read all of our great features of the past eight decades PLUS… You can also enjoy each new issue of Geographical each month from now on in both print and digital formats.

Simply press the button below to choose the perfect package for you.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos