2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake

On December 26, 2004, one of the world’s deadliest natural disasters occurred.  Scientists called it the Samatra-Andaman earthquake.  The rest of the world knows this devastation as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the South Asian Tsunami, the Indonesian Tsunami, or the Boxing Day tsunami.  The earthquake that initially started the tsunami had a magnitude between a 9.1 and a 9.3.  This high magnitude qualifies it to be the third largest earthquake recorded on a seismograph. 

Although some people were able to recognize the signs that tsunami was coming, most victims were caught completely by surprise.  Indonesia had the highest death toll, which was between 170,000 and 220,000.  Hundreds of people also died in Sri Lanka, India (Tamil Nadu), Thailand, Maldives, and the Eastern coast of Africa. According to most records the death toll came to approximately 230,000 people.  Many records show that around 1/3 of the deaths were children.

  

Great cities and landmasses went from being great communities to underwater burial grounds.

In addition to the hundreds of thousands of deaths, millions of people were left without shelter, food, water, means of communication, and in many cases, they did not even have a family to find comfort in. Soon after the tsunami took place, the media began capturing photographs, filming the affects of the disaster and posting information where people from all over the world could see it.  Immediately, organizations from all around the world began responding to the desperate call of help from the millions of tsunami victims.  Their main goal was to get food and clean water to the survivors, and to provide medical support to those who were injured and suffered health problems because of the disaster.  (The medical support was especially important because the possibility of victims getting diseases was extremely high.)

People who knew of the tsunami and the millions of people who had been affected began to take action to provide relief and help in any way that they could.  Some donated money.  Other generously gave food supplies and hygiene kits to be sent to those who needed them.  Others actually went to affected areas and gave countless hours cleaning up the areas, serving the people, and providing comfort and relief to victims.  Some even opened up their homes for refugees to live in so that they would have a place to stay and receive the things they needed.  There were also those who used their professions to help out.  Doctors provided medical supplies and support to the sick and injured and construction crews rebuilt homes.

I was 13 at the time that the tsunami occurred.  Even though I was young, I remember reading about what had happened, and hearing updates on the news.  I also remember looking at pictures and feeling heartache for the people who were hurt or killed by the tsunami and for those who were left without a home or family.  I remember working with organizations making hygiene kits for the victims and sending toys and clothes to the little children who had lost everything.  Millions of people around the world were doing the same types of things.       

In addition to individual efforts to provide relief, countries also began to respond to the call for help by donating generous amounts of money for the clean up and reconstruction of the affected areas.  

I think it is amazing how much good can be done and how close people can be brought together through the media even if oceans separate them.