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2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

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Animation of Indonesia tsunami (Credit: NOAA)

The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake of moment magnitude 9.0 that struck the Indian Ocean off the western coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia on December 26, 2004 at 00:58:49 UTC (07:58:49 local time in Jakarta and Bangkok). It was the largest earthquake on Earth since the 9.2-magnitude Good Friday Earthquake which struck Alaska, USA, on March 27, 1964, and the fourth largest since 1900. Tens of thousands were killed by the resulting tsunamis, which were as high as 10 m (33 ft) and struck between 15 minutes and 3 hours after the quake, causing one of the most cataclysmic disasters in modern history.

The multiple tsunamis struck and ravaged coastal regions all over the Indian Ocean, devastating regions including the Indonesian province of Aceh, the coast of Sri Lanka, coastal areas of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the resort island of Phuket, Thailand, and even as far away as Somalia and several other countries in Africa, 4,500 km (2,800 mi) or more west of the epicenter.

Quake characteristics

Locations of the initial earthquake and aftershocks

The quake was initially reported as 6.8 on the Richter scale. On the moment magnitude scale, which is more accurate for quakes of this size, the earthquake's magnitude was first reported as 8.1 by the United States Geological Survey, but after further analysis they increased this first to 8.5 and 8.9 and finally 9.0.

For comparison, the largest recorded earthquake was the Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960, having a magnitude of 9.5. The only other larger quakes worldwide since 1900 were the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake (9.2) and a March 9 1957 quake [1] in the Andreanof Islands (9.1), both in Alaska, USA. The only other recorded 9.0 magnitude earthquake, in 1952 off the southeast coast of Kamchatka, U.S.S.R., spawned tsunamis that caused extensive damage in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. (See Top 10 earthquakes.)

The hypocenter was at 3.298°N, 95.779°E, some 160 km (100 mi) west of Sumatra, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi) underwater, within the "Ring of Fire" zone of frequent earthquakes. The quake itself (apart from the tsunamis) was felt as far away as Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and the Maldives.

The earthquake was unusually large in geographical extent. An estimated 1,200 km (740 mi) of faultline slipped 15 m (50 ft) along the subduction zone where the India Plate dives under the Burma Plate. This formed a shock wave in the Indian Ocean, creating tsunamis that traveled at up to 800 km/h (500 mi/h).

Tectonic plates at epicenter

The India Plate is part of the great Indo-Australian Plate, which underlies the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, and is drifting northeast at an average of 5 cm/yr (2 in/yr) (or 15 m (50 ft) per 300 years), relative to the Burma Plate. The Burma Plate carries the Nicobar and Andaman Islands and northern Sumatra, and is pushed by the Sunda Plate to its east. Both the Burma and Sunda Plates are considered portions of the great Eurasian Plate. The tectonic activity that results as these plates scrape against each other led to the creation of the Sunda Arc.

Numerous aftershocks of magnitude between 5.7 and 6.3 were reported off the Andaman Islands in the following hours and days. Aftershocks off the Nicobar Islands were also reported, including ones of magnitude 7.5 [2], and 6.5 [3]. Other aftershocks between magnitude 5.0 and 6.3 occurred near the location of the original quake. See also: USGS current earthquake information.

The earthquake came just three days after a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in a completely uninhabited region west of New Zealand's sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands, and north of Australia's Macquarie Island [4]. This would normally be unusual, since earthquakes of magnitude 8 or more typically occur an average of once per year. Seismologists have speculated about a possible connection between these two earthquakes, saying that the former one might have been a catalyst to the Indian Ocean earthquake, as the two quakes happened on opposite sides of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate [5]. Coincidentally, the earthquake struck almost exactly one year (within an hour) after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake killed an estimated 30,000 people in the city of Bam in Iran [6].

The total energy released by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake exceeds the total amount of energy consumed in the United States in one month, or the energy released by the wind of a hurricane like Hurricane Isabel over a period of 70 days ([7]). Using the mass-energy equivalence formula , this amount of energy is equivalent to a mass of about 100 kg (220 lb) (much more than is actually converted to energy in a nuclear explosion), or enough to boil 5000 litres (1,300 US gallons) of water for every person on Earth.

The moment of inertia of Earth decreased a bit due to the earthquake. Because the angular momentum is conserved, this results in an increase of the angular velocity of Earth's rotation. In other words, the earthquake shortened the length of a day by as much as 3 µs. However, due to tidal effects of the Moon, the Earth's rotation slows by 15 µs per year. So any rotation speedup due to the earthquake will have no long-lasting effect at all.

Based on one seismic model, some of the smaller islands southwest of Sumatra have moved southwest up to 20 m (66 ft). The northern tip of Sumatra, which is on the Burma Plate (the southern regions are on the Sunda Plate), may also have moved southwest up to 36 m (118 ft). Other models suggest that most of the movement would have been vertical rather than lateral. Further measurement is needed to determine the extent of any actual movement. The massive release of energy and shift in mass may have also caused the earth to minutely "wobble" on its axis. [8]

Experts are also entertaining the possibility of a seismic chain reaction across a wider area of Australasia. Significant seismic activity was reported near Tasmania on December 24, while on December 26, a series of earthquakes peaking at 5.0 struck China's Yunan province, killing one person and injuring twenty-three.

Damage and casualties

File:2004 Indo Quake Affected Countries.png
Countries most directly affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

The earthquake triggered massive tsunamis which struck the coasts of the Indian Ocean (Pacific Ocean coasts were not affected). The death toll from the tsunamis and the resultant floods was reported to be more than 68,000, with tens of thousands of people reported missing, and over a million left homeless. The head of the European Union's humanitarian relief operation, Guido Bertolaso, has stated, "I fear that in the end it will be more than 100,000 deaths." [9] Governments and NGOs fear the death toll may double as a result of water-borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery, and other diseases such as malaria. 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 the fact that children were the least able to resist being dragged by the surging waters.

The death toll may be particularly high due to the fact that this is the first time in over 100 years that a tsunami of the Indian Ocean has struck land, leaving the affected countries unprepared and the people unable to recognise the telltale signs of an impending tsunami. The last tsunami in the area was caused by the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. Tsunamis usually occur along the Pacific Ocean coasts of the "Ring of Fire", where populations and government authorities are better prepared and early-warning systems are in place.

In addition to the large number of local residents, some tourists during the busy Christmas holiday travel season were among the casualties.

States of emergency were declared in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Maldives. The United Nations has declared that the current relief operation would be the costliest one ever.

For purposes of establishing timelines of local events, the time zones of affected areas are: UTC+3: (Kenya, Somalia); 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 quake occurred at 00:58:49 UTC, add the above offsets to find the local time of the quake. A list of times can be found at [10](a USGS site).

Casualty summary

Country Deaths Injured Missing Displaced
Confirmed Estimated
Indonesia 32,502 45,000 100,000+ Thousands —
Sri Lanka 21,715* 25,000+ 4,000+ 20,000+ 1.5 million
India 4,413 7,000+ — 30,000+ Hundreds of thousands
Thailand 1,538 2,000+ 8,950 1,200 29,000+
Somalia 110 Hundreds — — —
Myanmar (Burma) 90 100+ 45 — 200+
Malaysia 65 — 183 26 5000
Maldives 55 — — 76 —
Tanzania 10 — — — —
South Africa 1 — — — —
Seychelles 3 — — 7 —
Bangladesh 2 — — — —
Kenya 2 — — — —
Madagascar None — — — 1200
Total 58,000+ 90,000+ 100,000+ 50,000+ 1.5-2 million

* The numbers for Sri Lanka include reports from both government- and Tamil-held regions.

India

Much of the area adjacent to the Marina Beach in Chennai was covered by water from the tsunami
Main article: 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake in India

The entire eastern coast of India was affected, killing more than 11,500 and rendering thousands injured and/or homeless. The death toll in Tamil Nadu, which was most affected, was above 3,200. Along the eastern coast, 487 were killed in Pondichery and 89 in Andhra Pradesh. Kerala, located on the western coast of India, was also affected with 174 deaths and thousands rendered homeless. Hundreds were feared missing (1,200 in Andhra Pradesh alone). Most of the people killed were fisherfolk who lived along the coast. Many fishermen both at home and at sea were missing.

Initial reports hinted at very few casualties in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India just north of the earthquake hypocenter, but after many subsequent aftershocks near Nicobar, fears rose. Latest reports estimate 9,500 dead in the region and a similar number missing. However, communications have been lost with the Nan Kauri group of islands, some of which have been completely submerged, with the total number of the population out of contact exceeding 18,000. The Indian Air Force base in Car Nicobar, near the hypocenter, is reported to have been severely damaged. [11]

The worst damage on continental India was in Tamil Nadu, where the official toll was 3,000, mostly women and children. Over 1,700 were killed in the Nagapattinam district alone, over 400 in the Cuddalore district, over 525 in the Kanyakumari district and over 200 in Chennai (formerly Madras) city. It was reported that survey and rescue helicopters could not even land in Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts due to floods and rains.

Those killed in Kanyakumari include pilgrims taking a holy dip in the sea. Of about 700 people trapped at the Vivekananda Memorial on an island off Kanyakumari, 650 were rescued while the search is on for others. In Chennai along the Marina Beach, people taking part in various sports activities (including children), and those who were having a morning walk along the beach, were washed away. It being a Sunday there were more people than usual on the beach. Some unconfirmed reports claim that at least 5,000 fishermen and their families may be missing just from the Marina Beach area.

A large number of pilgrims celebrating Christmas at the Velankanni church were affected. Eyewitness reports suggest that at least 1,000 people were on the beach on that morning.

Water also rushed into the nuclear reactor complex at Kalpakkam, which was then shut off. No damage or radiation leak was reported. [12]

The Indian Army, Navy and Coast Guard were pressed into service for undertaking rescue operations and to air-drop food to the tsunami victims. The chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh announced ex gratia relief for those affected by the tsunamis.

Indonesia

Relative size of a 10 m (33 ft) wave

Indonesia's Ministry of Health confirmed over 32,000 dead. Nine thousand are reported dead in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and nearby towns, where dozens of buildings were destroyed in the initial earthquake. This preliminary figure does not include much of badly damaged western coast of Sumatra. One government official estimated another 10,000 dead in the single town of Meulaboh, 160 km (100 mi) in the northern province of Aceh. Northern Sumatra was unusual in the regional disaster in that it took damage from the earthquake itself as well as the tsunami. Hundreds of thousands of people have been rendered homeless.

Government officials are very concerned over the lack of reports from the many small islands dotting the western coast of Sumatra. Among these are the islands Simeulue and Nias. On Nias island alone official acounts gave the number 46 while various unconfirmed sources (mostly from phone calls by relatives living in Jakarta) report death tolls of over 600, while others say the number more likely to go well over 1000. Confirmation and communications to the islands are further hampered by damage to telecommunication infrastructures, where phone lines are broken and radio networks have been said to be down due to bad weather. (source: KCM)

Most damage was the result of the tsunamis that struck the coastal regions of Aceh and North Sumatra provinces. Ten metre tall tsunamis passed the tip of the island to race south down the Straits of Malacca and strike along the northeast coast near the town of Bireun. The west coast of Sumatra was about 100 km (60 mi) from the epicenter and is believed to have taken heavy damage. At least five villages were completely destroyed. Overflights of the region show that thousands of homes remain underwater. Reports indicate that survivors survived for days eating nothing but coconuts and looting has been reported in stricken Acehnese towns.

An accurate picture of the damage is made difficult due to the insurgency of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (also known as GAM or Gerakan Aceh Merdeka), which means that there were relatively few journalists, government offices, or aid workers in northern Sumatra. On Monday the government stated that on Wednesday it would lift the 18-month-old ban prohibiting foreign journalists and aid workers from traveling to Aceh. Also on Monday, a spokesperson for the Free Aceh Movement declared a ceasefire so humanitarian aid could reach survivors, and so as not to complicate the already devastating situation. The GAM also stated that 50,000 people were displaced in Aceh.

Fifteen thousand troops, who were in the region to fight the insurgency, have been dispatched to render assistance and to search for survivors. Three days of national mourning have been declared.

Malaysia

Cars struck by the tsunami in Penang

Malaysia escaped the kind of damages that struck beaches thousands of miles further away. This is attributed to the the position of the epicentre which was on the west side of the island of Sumatra, which shielded Malaysia. The limited number of casualties were from people being swept away from beaches as the tsunami hit Malaysia which resulted in the deaths of 63 people as of noon local time: 49 (2 unindentified victims) in Penang, 10 in Kedah, 3 in Perak and one in Selangor. The deaths at Penang were reported to include many picnickers and children who were playing on the beach. No deaths are reported among foreign tourists. At noon on 28th Dec the death toll is reported to have risen to 63 with 29 people missing, 275 injured and 4000 homeless. Houses in villages along coastal areas were badly damaged in Penang, Kuala Muda in Kedah and numerous fishing boats were destroyed on Langkawi island. The waves sent parked motorcycles crashing and cars washed with mud at stretches along Gurney Drive. The biggest lost from a single family was when 5 of 7 children of Zulkifli Mohamad Noor was killed when the tsunami struck at Pasir Panjang beach. The biggest risk is post disaster risk like food and water-borne diseases e.g. cholera and typhoid and dengue from stagnating water. The tremor of the quake was felt by office workers in Petronas Twin Towers.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri' Abdullah Ahmad Badawi cut short his holiday in Spain and returned to Malaysia. The Malaysian government announced that MYR 1,000 (USD 263.16) would be paid to the families of victims while MYR 200 (USD 52.63) would be paid to those who had sustained injuries from the tsunami. Residents who moved out of their homes immediately would also be paid MYR 200 as compensation.

Maldives

Malé, the capital island of Maldives was severely hit by the tsunamis.

Sixty-eight were killed and 76 reported missing in the Maldives, with both figures expected to rise as communication links are restored. Two-thirds of the capital city Malé were flooded during the early hours of the day. Outlying low-level atolls were badly affected and some low lying islands were completely submerged - including some of the major resorts - during the high tide.

The government has declared a state of national disaster [13] and a special task force has been set up to provide aid and supplies. Rescue efforts have been hampered by loss of communication capability, as well as the lack of a prior rescue or relief plan for a disaster of this nature.

Somalia

Villages and coastal communities in Somalia, as far as 4,500 km (2,800 mi) from the epicentre of the earthquake, were swept away and destroyed by the huge waves. Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi of the government-in-exile has stated that over 100 people are dead. Rising waters engulfed the town mosque of Brava and the villages of Beyla, Garacad, Muduy and Nugaal, all in Puntland, were reported destroyed.

According to Ali Abdi Awari, Minister of Rural Development, the final toll is believed to be much higher, as the number of fishermen caught on the sea has not been established by the local authorities. Much of the 621-mile coast is controlled by various clan-based militias, making obtaining accurate information difficult. The United Nations is assisting 2,000 people in Hafun, a town 715 miles northeast of Mogadishu, who were made homeless by the tsunamis.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan authorities report nearly 22,000 confirmed deaths, mostly children and the elderly. The south and east coasts were worst hit. The army states that over 10,000 bodies have been recovered in government-held areas.

The rebel Tamil Tigers who control much of the north and east have stated that the number of dead in rebel-held areas could rise to 6,000. War-damaged infrastucture means it is likely to mean that it will take longer before accurate figures are available for these areas.

1200 dead were counted at Batticaloa in the east and at Trincomalee in the northeast, where the tsunami reached more than 2 km (1.25 mi) inland, 800 were reported dead. The naval base at Trincomalee is reported to be submerged. About 1000 more dead were counted in Mullaitivu and Vadamaradchi East. [14]. A train, the "Sea Queen," moving between Colombo and Jalle, with 1000 passengers was struck by a tsunami, killing all on board.

More than one million people have been displaced from their homes. Apart from homes, many hotels were also reported to have been damaged. Hotels along the south coast were full of both foreign tourists and Sri Lankans making use of the long Christmas weekend. Twenty thousand soldiers were deployed in government-controlled areas to assist in relief operations and maintain law and order after sporadic looting. Curfews had been imposed in some areas to curb looting. Chinese light antipersonnel mines of type T-72A, left after the two-decade civil war, are feared to have been washed up and spread by the surge of water. The Norwegian People's Aid organization is currently assembling a team of mine sweepers to assess the situation.

The main highway to the south runs along the coast and was closed in the aftermath of the tsunami, delaying relief supplies. A huge effort to deliver supplies has been made by large numbers of private individuals filling their own vans and pickup trucks with food, clothing and bottled water and driving to affected areas.

Author Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who lives in Sri Lanka, has issued a statement saying that Sri Lanka "lacks the resources and capacity to cope with the aftermath." Clarke reported that not all of his staff have been accounted for. Clarke's diving school has been destroyed.

Thailand

Thai media reports that over 2,000 are feared killed, with 1,538 confirmed deaths and 8,950 injuries. The popular tourist resort of Phuket was badly hit. The smaller but increasingly popular resort area of Khao Lak some 80 km north of Phuket was hit far worse and there are said to be around 700 corpses on the beach in Khao Lak, while the total amount of dead in Khao Lak may exceed 2,000. The severity of the situation in Khao Lak is probably explained by the fact, that unlike the high-rising city of Phuket, the village of Khao Lak only had low built bungalows instead of high-rise concrete hotels. Khao Lak also has an extensive area of flatland only a few metres above the sea level, on which most bungalows were situated.

Thailand deputy interior minister Sutham Sangprathum reports over 700 tourists among Thailand's casualties. The bodies of 44 foreign tourists are reported to have been recovered at Phuket. Hundreds of holiday bungalows on the Phi Phi Islands were washed out to sea. Lorry drivers were quick to offer assistance, driving victims to higher ground and away from the surging waters. Local reports say many scuba divers were found dead, with their bodies torn apart by the tsunami. Among the dead was Bhumi Jensen, a grandson of King Rama IX, whose body was found at Phang Nga on Monday afternoon.

Other directly affected countries and territories

American Samoa Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 13 cm from crest to trough at Pago Pago.
Antarctica Wave fluctuations of 73cm due to the tsunami were detected at Shōwa Station, 8900 km (5500 miles) from the epicenter.
Australia Tremors felt along the north-western coast, some minor flooding. Seas off Western Australia are reportedly surging between Geraldton, 425 km north of Perth, where several boats were ripped from their moorings, and Busselton, 325 km south of Perth, where a father and son in a boat were washed out to sea, but were later rescued. No direct casualties have been reported within Australia.
Bangladesh Two children killed after a tourist boat capsized in surging waves.
Chile Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 19 cm from crest to trough at Iquique.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia) After earlier scares, no casualties were reported.
Fiji Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 11 cm at Suva.
Kenya Waves struck Kenya causing some minor damage. Two people reported drowned at Watamu, near Mombasa, another one injured.
Madagascar Flooding in low-lying coastal districts. No reported casualties. A 1.6 metre wave swept through a village near Manakara canto — up to 1,200 reported homeless.
Mauritius Struck by wave, no reports on casualties, a village in the north of the island completely submerged.
Mexico Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 2.6 meters at Manzanillo, Colima, due to focusing of tsunami energy from the Pacific plate rise and local terrain.
Myanmar (Burma) Ninety people confirmed killed, mostly in the Irrawaddy Delta, several villages and a bridge destroyed. The ruling military government rarely release details about any disaster, so exact numbers of casualties and homeless are difficult to obtain. International humanitarian organisations in Rangoon report 56 deaths, but expect the final toll to be significantly higher.
New Zealand Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 65 cm at Jackson Bay and 50 cm at Waitangi on Chatham Island.
Oman Waves hit coastline but no casualties.
Peru Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 50 cm from crest to trough at Callao.
Réunion (France) Over 200 boats sunk; damage to port infrastructure estimated at over €500,000, according to the Chamber of Commerce.
Seychelles Three killed, seven people missing. Major bridge in Victoria destroyed
Singapore Tremors felt by residents in high-rise apartment blocks in the south of the city-state.
South Africa One reported dead. Ocean level variance two to three meters outside normal reported in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. Three persons were washed out to sea at Blue Horizon Bay near Port Elizabeth, but two were rescued.
Tanzania Ten killed, unknown number of people missing. Oil tanker temporarily run aground in Dar es Salaam harbour, damaging oil pipeline.
United States Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 22 cm at San Diego, California, and 6 cm at Hilo, Hawaii.
Vanuatu Tsunami energy that passed into the Pacific Ocean caused wave fluctuations of 18 cm at Port Vila.

Countries that have lost citizens who were traveling abroad

Argentina Eleven missing in Thailand, five in Indonesia, and two in India, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Australia About 5,500 Australian tourists are believed to have been in the tourist areas of Thailand and Sri Lanka at the time of the tsunamis. Eight Australians are reported as having been killed, including a six-month old girl in Phuket and 16-year old male with Down syndrome. The Department of Foreign Affairs said that "grave fears" were held for at least ten Australians. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has warned that the death toll among Australian tourists will rise. A well-known footballer, Troy Broadbridge of the Melbourne Football Club, is among those missing.
Austria Five Austrians killed in Thailand. Over one hundred Austrians were reported injured, out of an estimated 1,500 in the region. Several other Austrian tourists are missing.
Belgium Three Belgian tourists were reported killed in Phuket, several more missing.
Brazil The Brazilian diplomat Lys Amayo de Benedek D'Avola and her 10-year old son died in Phi Phi, Thailand, two other reported missing by Thai authorities.
Canada Three Canadians have been confirmed dead, one in Sri Lanka and two in Phuket. Another dozen have been confirmed injured. Another two Canadians have been reported missing in Phuket. In Maldives there are 11 Canadians that could not be contacted; also in the Maldives, 45 Canadian pilots are safe and sound.
Chile Two missing in Thailand, two in Malaysia, and another in Indonesia, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
People's Republic of China One has been confirmed dead in Thailand, and five missing.
Colombia An eighteen month-old baby was reported dead in Thailand; her two parents and brother have been confirmed injured, according to the Consul of Colombia in Jakarta.
Czech Republic Five injured in Thailand, including the supermodel Petra Nemcova, another 381 of over 1,000 Czechs in the region are out of reach. Nemcova's British boyfriend is also missing.
Denmark Three confirmed dead in Thailand. Some 200 missing of which 14 have been confirmed to have been in danger. [15]
Finland One reportedly killed in Sri Lanka and one in Thailand, according to local TV news (YLE) quoting officials. Various Internet pages quote the names of at least 50 injured. Over 400 are still reported to be missing. Eyewitness reports suggest at least several deaths. Finnish ambassador in Thailand warns that there will be several more victims.
France At least ten killed. At least eighteen French nationals are missing.
Germany Approximately 10,000 German tourists are in the region. Though there are first reports that a large number of German-language tourists may have been killed, the German Government and the German travel agencies have decided not to publish precise numbers of casualties before they are confirmed - out of respect for the victims. On 28/12/04, the German minister of foreign affairs, Joschka Fischer, spoke of "a three digit number" of German losses. Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, on vacation in Sri Lanka, was rescued from the roof of his flooded hotel by military helicopter.
Greece One person lightly injured in Phuket, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Approximately 300 Greek tourists are estimated to be in Phuket.
Hong Kong One citizen (39 year old male) were confirmed dead in Thailand. Some 200 missing (unofficial numbers according to the major local media RTHK, TVB). Action movie star Jet Li, on holiday with his family in the Maldives, suffered a minor foot injury while guiding his daughter to safety.
Hungary Eight Hungarians were injured in Phuket, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ireland Two Irishwomen reported missing in Thailand.
Israel One tourist (named Sue Mor) has been lightly injured in Sri Lanka. Some 100 missing. [16]
Italy At least thirteen killed, eleven in Thailand (six at Phuket, three in Phi Phi) and two in Sri Lanka. About 100 people missing.
Japan At least fifteen confirmed bodies of Japanese and up to 700 missing. Amongst the missing are Sadayuki Yoshino, the First Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok, and his son who were vacationing together at Phuket.
Malaysia Six deaths in southern Thailand.
Mexico Three out of 24 tourists reported missing by the Mexican Embassy in Thailand.
Netherlands Four confirmed dead, thirteen still missing, most from Phuket or Koh Phi Phi.
New Zealand The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed one New Zealand woman died in Phuket, Thailand. 400 New Zealanders in the areas affected have not yet been contacted [17].
Norway Thirteen people reported dead, two in Sri Lanka and eleven in Phuket, Thailand. The Norwegian consulate in Bangkok is operating with a list of over 800 missing Norwegian nationals. For more information about Norwegian relief efforts and personal stories, go here.
Poland According to Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs four Polish tourists are believed dead and at least 43 people are missing (28 in Thailand, 15 in Sri Lanka). Three people are hospitalised in Phuket and Krabi. The number of Polish tourists in the affected areas is estimated to be around 2,000.
Portugal At least three persons are missing in Phuket and two are injured, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Romania Two Romanian tourists were earlier reported missing in Phuket, but they have been found safe. Over 20 Romanian tourists are estimated to be in the affected region, but according to Cristian Gaginschi, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are no indications that any Romanian has been affected by the earthquake.
Russia At least 2 are dead at Phuket and as many as 500 may be missing, according to the Russian Embassy in Thailand. About 1000 Russian tourists were at Phuket alone. Around 250 Russian tourists were in Sri Lanka, of which all are safe.
Singapore At least 3 are dead : 1 in Sri Lanka, 2 in Phuket. 16 others are still missing : 14 in Phuket, 2 in Aceh [18].
South Africa The Department of Foreign Affairs reported at least two persons dead in Thailand, and at least three others missing.
South Korea The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported five dead and eleven missing.
Spain According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 tourists are hospitalised in Thailand and 4 more are missing: 3 in the island of Javelock, Andaman, India, and 1 in Phuket. No deaths reported to the moment.
Sweden Six have been confirmed dead according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Swedish government is not willing to give any estimates of how many nationals who may be dead, but say that they fear the number is substantial. Approximately 20,000 Swedish nationals were in Thailand at the time of the disaster, 1,500-1,600 of whom are currently missing, according to Swedish press. Forty are missing in Sri Lanka, and 9 on the Indian Andaman islands. Skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark had to run for his life from the tsunami in Thailand, but survived unhurt.
Switzerland The foreign ministry confirmed 9 casualties - 7 of them have been identified and two were washed away in front of their relatives with no hope to be found alive. More than 2200 Swiss nationals are expected to have been in the south-east asia at the time of disaster - 1,700 of them could not have been contacted yet.
Republic of China (Taiwan) At least one dead, and many injured. Thirty-five fishing boats from Taiwan in Phuket were damaged; sailors suffered minor injuries.
Turkey Forty-one Turks are missing, 3 of whom are divers; 18 in Thailand, 6 in India, 6 in Malaysia, 3 in Sri Lanka, 3 in Myanmar, 2 in Maldives, 2 in Singapore, 1 in Indonesia. Two others injured are now in a hospital in Phuket. A plane, which was sent by Turkish goverment to gather all the Turks in the region, returns with only 13 survivors and AKUT, a well-known Turkish search and rescue organisation. Turkish GSM operator Turkcell announced that signals from 2,500 of its subscribers were received in the area, meaning at least 2,500 Turks were present when the disaster occured. [19] [20]
United Kingdom Over 10,000 British holidaymakers are estimated to have been in the region. Eighteen have been confirmed as dead - twelve in Thailand, three in Sri Lanka and three in the Maldives. [21] The 14-year-old granddaughter of Baron Richard Attenborough is among the dead; two other family members are missing, and another granddaughter is being treated in a hospital. Fashion photographer Simon Atlee, the boyfriend of Czech supermodel Petra Nemcova, is missing.
United States The U.S. Department of State reports twelve dead (including a well-known fashion photographer, Fernando Bengoechea); out of them, seven died in Sri Lanka and five in Thailand. Hundreds remain unaccounted for. It is understood that the key U.S./U.K. military installation at the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia was unaffected by the disaster.
Uruguay At least 2 confirmed dead.

Damage in historical and global context

File:2004 indian ocean earthquake tectonic.jpg
Regional map showing physiographic features, tectonic plate movements, and locations of volcanoes, earthquakes, and impact craters

Although the earthquake was the fourth most powerful recorded since 1899, the likely death toll is lower than would have been the case if it had struck at a densely populated area. The deadliest earthquakes recorded in recent times were the Tangshan, China, earthquake of 1976, in which 240,000 were killed, and the Tokyo earthquake of 1923 (140,000). The deadliest earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China, with a reported death toll of 830,000 (although figures from this time period may not be reliable). [22]

The nations of the Indian Ocean do not participate in an international tsunami early warning system like that in the Pacific Ocean, mostly as a result of the historical rarity of tsunamis in the Indian Ocean. In the Pacific, a system of sensors is linked to monitoring stations so that local media can warn the populace to seek higher ground well before a tsunami arrives. Thailand is a member of the Pacific tsunami warning system, but all of its ocean buoys, upon which wave sensors are mounted, are on the east coast of the country. A single wave station south of the epicenter measured a two foot tall tsunami moving towards Australia. The US Geological Survey has stated that if a monitoring and warning system had been in place, the loss of life could have been reduced, especially in areas that were struck by tsunamis more than three hours after the initial tremor, such as Sri Lanka and India. Furthermore, in Pacific regions where tsunamis are better known, the receding of the sea from the coast would have warned many people of an impending freak wave. In the Indian Ocean region, this rare sight has been reported to have induced people to visit the coast to investigate. Also, the intensity of the tremors in India and Sri Lanka was too low to raise an alarm.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, the Indian government has decided to install equipment to warn about impending tsunamis, and to join a group of countries that would share information on tsunamis. The Malaysian government has also proposed to create a tsunami warning system, in cooperation with other countries in the region. [23]

Post-tsunami humanitarian situation

Large amounts of humanitarian aid are needed due to widespread damage to infrastructure, food and water shortages and economic damage to the fishing and tourism industries. Epidemics are of special concern, as they are highly likely due to the high population density and tropical climate of the affected areas. The United Nations has stated that the largest relief operation in history is underway.

The overwhelming concern of humanitarian and government agencies is to quickly identify and bury the dead before they become a health issue, and contain the spread of diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, dysentery and typhoid. These diseases are largely spread by the bodily wastes of the living after the loss of normal sanitary facilities, the shared use of inadequate ones in makeshift refuges, and the lack of clean water. Many usual sources of water were spoiled by salt water, broken by the force of the tsunami, or contaminated with bodies of dead people or livestock, requiring water purification equipment or trucking potable water into the affected region.

Other high priorities are delivery of medical supplies and personnel to overwhelmed hospitals and clinics, tent shelters and clothing to people who have lost their houses and belongings, and food, especially baby food. Several governments have appealed for body bags to assist in the safe disposal of corpses. Humanitarian organizations asked concerned individuals to give money to known charities, and refrain from donating clothing, which is often made in the affected countries.

Humanitarian assistance

Governments, humanitarian organisations, Asian expatriates and individuals around the world have scrambled to offer aid and technical support. The World Bank estimates the amount of aid needed at USD 5 billion ([24]). Although countries are providing relief funds, the UN has criticized both the U.S and Europe for allocating inadequate resources. UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland initially categorized the response of Western countries to the disaster as "stingy", but later claimed to have been "misinterpreted". The US government, led by Secretary of State Colin Powell, reacted with annoyance to the statement. [25] Speaking at a press conference the following day, Mr. Egeland stated, "I've been misinterpreted when I yesterday said that I believed that rich countries in general can be more generous." He also stated, "It has nothing to do with any particular country or the response to this emergency. We are in early days and the response has so far been overwhelmingly positive," [26]

Alphabetical by country or organization:

Australia The Australian Government committed an initial AUD 10 million (USD 7.7 million) to the relief effort, to be distributed to international aid organisations. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer announced on December 29th, 2004 that an additional AUD 25 million (USD 18.1 million) would be committed; AUD 10 million to aid organisations, AUD 10 million to Indonesia, and AUD 5 million (USD 3.6 million) to Sri Lanka. Three Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules were immediately dispatched, laden with essential supplies such as medical supplies,water purification units, blankets and bottled water. Two more Hercules are also being sent, and once supplies are delivered, will remain in the region to ferry more supplies to the affected areas. Ten medical specialists are also on board. Two body identification teams, diplomatic staff and medical supplies are on route to Thailand aboard a donated Virgin Blue flight. In addition the Victorian State Government has announced it will give AUD 1.5 million (USD 1.2 million) to help victims of the tsunamis, the New South Wales State Government has donated AUD 2 million (USD 1.6 million) while the Australian public has raised over AUD 1 million (USD 0.77 million) so far.
Austria The Goverment has sent EUR 1 million.
Brazil Brazilian government awaits UN decision on joint humanitarian aid. In the country, private citizens and small businesses have organized a national effort to collect food, medicine and clothes for the populations affected. Several tons are to be handed to the local embassies and consulates of the countries affected.
Canada The Canadian government has pledged CAD 4 million (USD 3.3 million) as an immediate contribution toward the aid effort and will also be providing blankets, water purification devices, and generators through the Canadian International Development Agency.

The government of Quebec has given CAD 100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross.

Chile The Chilean government will send six young physicians to Sri Lanka and has opened a special bank account for public donations.
China The Chinese government will send RMB 21.63 million (USD 2.6 million) to Southeast Asia.
Czech Republic The Czech government will give aid worth EUR 328,000 (USD 0.5 million), in various forms.
Denmark The Danish government will give aid worth EUR 1.35 million.
European Union The EU is providing immediate emergency aid of EUR 3 million (USD 4.1 million) for victims to meet "initial vital needs", with more substantial aid to be provided later.
Finland The Finnish government allocated EUR 500,000 (USD 0.68 million) to help the victims of the tsunamis. In addition, EUR 75,000 and a field hospital by the Finnish Red Cross and EUR 25,000 by Save the Children Finland will be sent.
France France has sent a plane with 100 rescue personnel, as well as 800 kg (1,750 lb) of medical supplies.
Germany The German government allocated EUR 3 million (USD 3.9 million) for immediate aid. According to a press release from the German secretary of foreign affairs, units of the governmental technical relief organisation (THW) are going to be sent to Thailand and Sri Lanka for rescue purposes, together with drinking water purification equipment. Additional medical help is sent to Phuket this afternoon, including the Medivac Airbus - which is capable to fly out up to 30 intensive care patient out of the region to specialized hospital - of the German Air Force.
Greece Greece will allocate EUR 300,000 (USD 0.4 million) to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, and two planes will carry to those countries over 6 tons of humanitarian materials.
IFRCS In Geneva, the IFRCS appealed for CHF 7.5 million (about USD 6.6 million) for "immediate support" to an estimated 500,000 survivors.
Ireland The Irish government pledges EUR 1 million (USD 1.4 million) in response to the earthquake-caused disaster in South Asia.[27]
IRW Islamic Relief Worldwide has increased its emergency appeal to USD 5 million. This includes an initial USD 270,650 for relief and rehabilitation intervention in the region, and USD 27,000 to meet the immediate needs of victims in Sri Lanka. [28]
Israel Israel has sent baby food and medicines worth some USD 100,000 to the affected countries. In addition, an Israeli medical team was dispatched to Sri Lanka. An offer of assistance to India in the form of a search and rescue team as well as food and medicines has been extended. [29]
Italy The CEI (Italian Conference of Bishops) has already sent 100.000 euros (part of a donation of USD 1.700.000 from Caritas Internationalis) and is collecting national donations.[30]. Italian airplanes are being used to evacuate tourists of various nationalities.
Japan Japan will provide USD 30 million in aid to affected countries, and will send three navy vessels to waters off Thailand to help search for missing people.
Kuwait The Kuwaiti government has donated at KWD 500,000 (USD 1.7 million) as humanitarian aid.
Luxembourg Luxembourg has announced it will donate at least EUR 200,000 (USD 0.3 million) as humanitarian aid.
Médecins Sans Frontières MSF is dispatching 32 tons of relief supplies to Sumatra; medical and assessment teams have been sent to many of the affected areas. [31] [32]
Netherlands The Dutch government has reserved EUR 2 million (USD 2.7 million) for aid to the affected area. The Dutch Red Cross has dedicated EUR 100,000 (USD 0.1 million) for emergency aid.
New Zealand The New Zealand government announced it will donate NZD 500,000 (USD 0.4 million) to the Red Cross, and an airforce C-130 Hercules has been sent for evacuation and transport of relief supplies.
Norway The Norwegian government has allocated NOK 50 million (USD 8.2 million) to be distributed to the UN, the Red Cross and other aid organisations.
Pakistan The government of Pakistan has announced a PKR 10 million (USD 0.2 million) relief package for the earthquake victims of Sri Lanka. This consists of goods such as tents, medicines, drinking water and food items. Additional aid has been promised.
Poland The Polish government will donate PLN 1 million (USD 0.3 million) to Polish aid non-governmental organizations.
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has pledged a $10 million aid package consisting of $5 million worth of food, tents and medicine, to be transported and distributed via the Saudi Red Crescent and another $5 million in funds which will be given to several international aid groups such as the Red Cross and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Singapore The Singaporean government has pledged SGD 500,000 (USD 0.3 million) to the Singapore Red Cross Society to help them start an appeal for public donations. A Singapore Armed Forces medical team is on standby to fly to Indonesia to help. Singapore is also dispatching an emergency consular team to Phuket and sending SGD 2 million (USD 1.2 million)of aid to the countries affected.
Spain The Spanish Government has allocated EUR 1 million (USD 1.4 million) to finance a first humanitarian shipment for the victims. Two cargoes with humanitarian aid have taken off on December 28 to Sri Lanka.

The government of Catalonia has sent EUR 100,000 for building reconstruction and food for the affected people in Sri Lanka.

Sweden SEK 7 million (USD 1.04 million) are being taken from the Swedish International Development Agency, 5 million of which are channeled through the ICRC. The Swedish Salvation Army has donated SEK 1 million (USD 150,000). The government is also supplying tents and blankets to Sri Lanka. Further assistance to be supplied if so requested, primarily by the UN. 25 personnel have been sent to the disaster area for search and rescue operations. A team from the police force has been sent to Thailand to help with the identification of the dead. An airlift operation has been engaged to fly home the approximately 20.000 Swedish citizens who are in the area. According to the Government all of which should be home before January 4. Swedish media has criticized the government for not doing enough for their nationals and for others.
Switzerland The Swiss government has allocated CHF 1 million (USD 0.88 million).
Taiwan The Taiwanese government has donated three tons of emergency goods and USD 0.25 million to Indonesia, India, Thaliand, and Sri Lanka. Relief teams have been dispatched to assess damages in preparation for humanitarian aid efforts.
Turkey Hit in August and November 1999 by a series of earthquakes that killed over 20,000, Turkey has started collecting funds, hoping to reach at least TRY 313,000 (USD 0.2 million), which will be used in reconstruction projects.
UAE USD 2 million and 30 tons of food and medicine in the care of the Red Crescent, which is to deliver them to India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka [33].
United Kingdom The British government has already allocated GBP 450,000 (USD 0.6 million) in aid. GBP 400,000 were given through the EU to the Red Cross and GBP 50,000 were donated to WHO, to help prevent maladies after the ocean surges. In addition, planes carrying essential equipment have been dispatched to some of the affected areas.
UNHCR The UNHCR in Sri Lanka is opening up its local relief stockpiles to deliver immediate emergency assistance. [34]
UNICEF Clothing and more than 30,000 blankets and sleeping mats to Sri Lanka
1,600 water tanks, 30,000 blankets, medical supplies and hundreds of thousands of water purification pills to India
Similar supplies to Indonesia and the Maldives[35].
United Nations Development Program USD 100,000 each to Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, the Maldives and Thailand to help them assess and coordinate emergency needs[36].
United Nations Population Fund Up to USD 1 million and extra staff to help ensure that the special health needs of pregnant and nursing women were met [37].
United States The United States government has allocated USD 400,000 (EUR 300,000) to India, Indonesia, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Officials are currently working on a USD 4 million (EUR 3 million) aid package to help the Red Cross. Also, the United States has dispatched disaster teams to aid the nations affected. The United States is also preparing an initial USD 15 million (EUR 11 million) aid package for affected nations. An additional USD 20 million has been offered as an emergency line of credit.

The United States has dispatched several C-130 cargo planes containing disaster supplies, six P-3 Orion aircraft for search and rescue support, and several teams from the State Department and the Defense Department to coordinate additional assistance. They are using Utapao Naval Air Base in Thailand as their regional hub. Additionally, the United States has offered assistance from its troops stationed in Japan. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which was in port in Hong Kong, and a five ship fleet led by the USS Bonhomme Richard, scheduled for a port call in Guam, were dispatched to render assistance.

Vatican City The Pope has authorized the immediate release of US$ 6 million, which are to be delivered to the International Red Cross, for use in the humanitarian relief effort.

Sites accepting on-line donations for relief efforts

Region Organization Donation webpage Local telephone number
Global IFRCS [38] International Red Cross / Red Crescent
UNICEF [39] United Nations Children's Fund
MSF [40] Médecins Sans Frontières
IRW [41] Islamic Relief Worldwide
Australia Red Cross [42] Red Cross 1800 811 700
UNICEF [43] UNICEF 1300 884 233
CARE [44] Care Australia 1800 020 046
Oxfam [45] Oxfam International Crisis Fund 1800 034 034
World Vision [46] World Vision Australia 133 240
Canada Red Cross [47] Canadian Red Cross online donations 1-800-418-1111
Unicef [48] Unicef Canada online donations 1-800-567-4483
India The Hindu The Hindu Relief Fund
PM's office Prime Minister's National Relief Fund
PM's office PM's National Relief Fund – PayPal Option
Tamilnadu state govt. Tamilnadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund
AID Association for India's Development 044-28350403
Asha [49] Asha for Education
Indonesia Indonesian Red Cross Palang Merah Indonesia +62.21.7992325
New Zealand Red Cross [50] (page offline) 0800 RED CROSS
World Vision [51] World Vision NZ 0800 80 2000
UK Christian Aid [52] Christian Aid
MSF [53] Doctors Without Borders 020 7067 4214
Red Cross [54] British Red Cross 08705 125125
USA Red Cross American Red Cross 1-800-435-7669
DWB Doctors Without Borders 1-888-392-0392
ADRA ADRA International 1-800-424-ADRA
AID Association for India's Development 1-888-TALK-2-AID
networkforgood.org [55] Directory of various NGOs working on the ground
Lutheran World Relief Lutheran World Relief 1-800-LWR-LWR-2
Star of Hope [56] Star of Hope Tsunami Relief Aid
amazon.com Donate to Red Cross with your Amazon account
Mercy Corps [57] Mercy Corps 1-888-256-1900

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