A devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004, killing an estimated 230,000 people and affecting millions. The 9.1-magnitude quake, which occurred off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island, triggered massive tsunamis that slammed into 14 countries’ coasts.
The disaster caught many by surprise due to a lack of early warning systems and limited sea-level data. When the ocean withdrew, exposing the seafloor, it served as an ominous sign of a potential tsunami approaching. Indonesia’s Aceh province was the hardest hit, with 130,700 deaths and 565,384 people displaced.
Two decades on, communities have rebuilt, but families who lost loved ones still bear the scars. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has responded by increasing investment in tsunami science and deploying more accurate buoys to detect seismic events quicker.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/25/world/gallery/remembering-the-deadliest-tsunami-in-history/index.html