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{{Earthquake|title=2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|date={{Start date|2004|12|26}}|map=2004-tsunami.jpg|depth=30&nbsp;km (19&nbsp;mi)|location={{Coord|3.316|N|95.854|E|type:event_scale:50000000|display=inline,title}}|image name=<small>Tsunami strikes [[Ao Nang]], Thailand.<small/>|type=[[undersea earthquake|Undersea]] ([[subduction]])|tsunami=Yes|magnitude=9.1 [[Moment magnitude scale|''M''<sub>w</sub>]]|countries affected=[[Indonesia]] (mainly in [[Aceh]])<br /> [[Sri Lanka]]<br /> [[India]] (mostly in [[Tamil Nadu]])<br /> [[Thailand]]<br /> [[Maldives]]|casualties=280,000+<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4204385.stm</ref><ref name=asianews>"[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. Retrieved 2006-05-07.</ref> (the [[List of natural disasters#Earthquakes|3rd deadliest earthquake]] in recorded history)
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The '''2004 Indian Ocean earthquake''' was an [[submarine earthquake|undersea]] [[megathrust]] [[earthquake]] that occurred at 00:58:53 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on December 26, 2004, with an [[epicentre]] off the west coast of [[Sumatra]], [[Indonesia]]. The quake itself is known by the [[scientific community]] as the '''Sumatra-Andaman earthquake'''.<ref>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</ref><ref>[http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/tsunami/sumatraEQ/ Tsunamis and Earthquakes: Tsunami Generation from the 2004 Sumatra Earthquake - USGS Western Coastal and Marine Geology<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>  The resulting [[tsunami]] itself is given various names, including the '''2004 Indian Ocean tsunami''', '''Asian Tsunami''', '''Indonesian Tsunami''', '''[[Boxing Day]] Tsunami''', and, simply, '''The Tsunami'''.

The earthquake was caused by [[subduction]] and triggered a series of devastating [[tsunami]]s along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the [[Indian Ocean]], killing nearly 230,000 people in fourteen 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 [[List of natural disasters by death toll#Top 10 deadliest natural disasters|deadliest natural disasters in recorded history]]. [[Indonesia]] was the hardest hit, followed by [[Sri Lanka]], [[India]], and [[Thailand]].

With a [[Moment magnitude scale|magnitude]] of between 9.1 and 9.3, it is the [[List of earthquakes#Largest earthquakes by magnitude|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&nbsp;cm (0.4&nbsp;inches)<ref>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</ref> and triggered other earthquakes as far away as [[Alaska]].<ref>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 Magazine|Science]].'' Vol. 308, No. 5725, 1144–1146. May 20, 2005.</ref>

The plight of the many [[countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|affected people and countries]] prompted a widespread [[humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|humanitarian response]]. In all, the worldwide community donated more than $7 billion (2004 [[United States dollar|U.S. dollars]]) in humanitarian aid.

==Earthquake characteristics==
{| class="floatleft" style="position:relative; border:1px solid #ccc; background:#f9f9f9;"
| style="border:1px solid #ccc;"|<div style="position: relative;">[[File:Earthquake 20041226 epicentre.gif|180px|[[Epicentre]] of the earthquake, just north of [[Simeulue]] Island]]{{Image label|x=62|y=49|text=[[File:Flashspot.gif|20px]]}}</div>
|-
|[[Epicenter]] of the earthquake, [[File:magnify-clip.png|link=File:Earthquake 20041226 epicentre.gif]]<br />just north of [[Simeulue]] Island
|}

The [[earthquake]] was initially reported as [[moment magnitude scale|moment magnitude]] 9.0. In February 2005 scientists revised the estimate of the magnitude to 9.3.<ref>McKee, Maggie. "[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6991 Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated]." ''[[New Scientist]].'' February 9, 2005.</ref> 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<sub>w</sub> 9.1 to 9.3.  Dr. [[Hiroo Kanamori]] of the [[California Institute of Technology]] believes that M<sub>w</sub> = 9.2 is a good representative value for the size of this great earthquake.<ref>EERI Publication 2006–06, page 14.</ref>

The [[hypocentre]] of the main earthquake was approximately 160&nbsp;km (100&nbsp;mi), in the Indian Ocean just north of [[Simeulue]] island, off the western coast of northern Sumatra, at a depth of 30&nbsp;km (19&nbsp;mi) below [[mean sea level]] (initially reported as 10&nbsp;km). The northern section of the [[Sunda megathrust]], which had been assumed [[dormant]], ruptured; the rupture having a length of 1600&nbsp;km.<ref>Nalbant, S., Steacy, S., Sieh, K., Natawidjaja, D., and McCloskey, J. "[http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~sieh/pubs_docs/papers/P05b.pdf  Seismology: Earthquake risk on the Sunda trench]." ''[[Nature Magazine|Nature]].'' Vol. 435, No. 7043, 756–757. June 9, 2005. Accessed 2009-05-16.  [http://www.webcitation.org/5gsK7TQaG Archived] 2009-05-18.</ref> The size of the rupture caused plate shifting of up to 20 m, causing the earthquake (followed by the tsunami) to be felt simultaneously as far away as [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Malaysia]], [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], [[Singapore]] and the [[Maldives]].
<ref>Lovholt, F., Bungum, H., Harbitz, C.B., Glimsal, S., Lindholm, C.D., and Pedersen, G. "[http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/6/979/2006/nhess-6-979-2006.pdf Earthquake related tsunami hazard along the western coast of Thailand]." ''Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences.'' Vol. 6, No. 6, 979–997. November 30, 2006. Accessed 2009-05-16.  [http://www.webcitation.org/5gsKCAmW5 Archived] 2009-05-18.</ref> Splay faults or secondary "pop up faults" caused long narrow parts of the sea floor to pop up in seconds elevating the height and increased the speed of waves to cause the complete destruction of the nearby Indonesian town of [[Lhoknga]].
<ref>Sibuet, J-C., Rangin, C., Le Pichon, X., Singh, S., Cattaneo, A., Graindorge, D., Klingelhoefer, F., Lin, J-Y., Malod, J., Maury, T., Schneider, J-L., Sultan, N., Umber, M., Yamaguchi, H., and the “Sumatra aftershocks” team,  "[http://wwz.ifremer.fr/drogm/content/download/36024/293289/file/2007EPSLSibuet.pdf December 26, 2004 great Sumatra–Andaman earthquake: Co-seismic and post-seismic motions in northern Sumatra]." ''Earth and Planetary Science Letters.'' Vol. 263, Issues. 1–2, 88–103. November 15, 2007. Accessed 2009-05-16.  [http://www.webcitation.org/5gsKIqvg4 Archived] 2009-05-18.</ref>

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 (island)|Java]], [[Bali]], [[Flores]], and [[Timor]].

Great earthquakes such as the Sumatra-Andaman event, which are invariably associated with [[megathrust]] events in [[subduction zone]]s, have [[seismic moment]]s 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 earthquakes|Kamchatka earthquake]] of October 16, 1737.

[[Image:Graph_of_largest_earthquakes_1906-2005.png|thumb|Graphic of largest earthquakes 1906–2005]]
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<sub>w</sub> 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 Peninsula|Kamchatka]], [[Russia]], on November 4, 1952 (magnitude 9.0).<ref>"[http://web.archive.org/web/20071012210253/http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/world/1952_11_04.html Kamchatka Earthquake, November 4, 1952]." ''[[United States Geological Survey]].''</ref> Each of these [[megathrust earthquake]]s 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===
{{Main|plate tectonics}}
The [[megathrust earthquake]] was unusually large in [[geographical]] and [[geological]] extent. An estimated 1,600&nbsp;km (994&nbsp;mi) of [[Fault (geology)|fault surface]] slipped (or ruptured) about 15&nbsp;m (50&nbsp;ft) along the [[subduction zone]] where the [[India Plate]] slides (or subducts) under the overriding [[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&nbsp;km (250&nbsp;mi) long and 100&nbsp;km (60&nbsp;mi) wide, located 30&nbsp;km (19&nbsp;mi) beneath the sea bed—the largest rupture ever known to have been caused by an earthquake. The rupture proceeded at a speed of about 2.8&nbsp;km/s (1.7 [[mile per second|mi/s]]) or 10,000&nbsp;km/h (6,300&nbsp;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 Islands|Andaman]] and [[Nicobar Islands]]. However, the northern rupture occurred more slowly than in the south, at about 2.1&nbsp;km/s (1.3 [[mile per second|mi/s]]) or 7,600&nbsp;km/h (4,700&nbsp;mph), continuing north for another five minutes to a plate boundary where the fault type changes from subduction to [[Fault (geology)#Strike-slip faults|strike-slip]] (the two plates slide 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.<ref>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.</ref>

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&nbsp;cm/year (2&nbsp;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 sinks 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 overlying plate causing [[partial melting]] and the formation of [[magma]]. The rising magma intrudes into the crust above and 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 floor]] is estimated to have risen by several metres, displacing an estimated 30&nbsp;km<sup>3</sup> (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&nbsp;km (994&nbsp;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 floor significantly reduced the capacity of the [[Indian Ocean]], producing a permanent rise in the global [[sea level]] by an estimated 0.1&nbsp;mm (0.01&nbsp;cm or 0.0001 m).<ref>Bilham, Roger. "[http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;308/5725/1126 A Flying Start, Then a Slow Slip]." ''[[Science Magazine|Science]].'' Vol. 308, No. 5725, 1126–1127. May 20, 2005.</ref>

===Aftershocks and other earthquakes===
[[Image:Neic slav fig72.gif|thumb|Locations of initial earthquake and all aftershocks measuring greater than 4.0 from December 26, 2004–January 10, 2005.  The site of the original quake is marked by the large star in the lower right square of the grid. (Credit: [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]])]]

Numerous [[aftershock]]s were reported off the [[Andaman Islands]], the [[Nicobar Islands]] and the region of the original epicentre in the hours and days that followed. The [[2005 Sumatra earthquake|largest aftershock]], which originated off the coast of the Sumatran island of [[Nias]], registered a magnitude of 8.7,<ref>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. Accessed 2009-10-01.  [http://www.webcitation.org/5kFb5VL0v Archived] 2009-10-03.</ref> 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).<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4430255.stm Sumatra shaken by new earthquake]." ''[[BBC News]].'' April 10, 2005.</ref><ref>"[[n:Panic in Sumatra after new earthquake|Panic in Sumatra after new earthquake]]." ''[http://en.wikinews.org/ WIKINEWS].'' April 10, 2005.</ref> 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 [[List of sub-antarctic islands|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.<ref>[http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/faq.php USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: FAQ].</ref> 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 [[United States Geological Survey|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, Iran|Bam]] in [[Iran]] on December 26, 2003.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

Some scientists confirm that the December earthquake had activated [[Mount Leuser|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.<ref>Rinaldo, Aditya. "[http://web.archive.org/web/20060217062133/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1317370,00050004.htm Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano spews into life]." ''Hindustan Times.'' April 12, 2005.</ref> Geologists say that the eruption of [[Mount Talang]] in April 2005 is connected to the December earthquake.<ref>{{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}}</ref><!--Previous reference has gone dead. Staff Writer. "[http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=661767 Volcano on Indonesia's Sumatra Erupts]." ''[[ABC News]].'' April 11, 2005.-->

===Energy released by the earthquake===
The energy released ''on the Earth's surface only'', ''M''<sub>E</sub> which is the ''seismic potential for damage'', by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami was estimated at 1.1×10<sup>17</sup> [[joule]]s<ref>[http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2004/eq_041226/neic_slav_e.html USGS Energy and Broadband Solution]</ref> 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 [[Mechanical work|work]] done ''M''<sub>W</sub> (and thus energy) by this quake, 4.0×10<sup>29</sup> [[erg]]s (40 [[zettajoule|ZJ]]),<ref>[http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2004/eq_041226/neic_slav_hrv.html USGS, Harvard Moment Tensor Solution]</ref> the vast majority underground.  This equates to 4.0×10<sup>22</sup> J, over 363,000 times more than its ''M''<sub>E</sub>.  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 1.08×10<sup>20</sup> J.

The only recorded earthquakes with a larger ''M''<sub>W</sub> were the [[1960 Chilean Earthquake|1960 Chilean]] and [[1964 Alaska earthquake|1964 Alaskan]] quakes, with 2.5×10<sup>23</sup> joules (250 ZJ) and 7.5×10<sup>22</sup> joules (75 ZJ) respectively.<ref>[http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/topics/measure.php USGS:Measuring the size of earthquakes]</ref>

The earthquake generated a seismic oscillation of the Earth's surface of up to 20–30&nbsp;cm (8–12&nbsp;in), equivalent to the effect of the [[tides|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&nbsp;mm (0.12&nbsp;in) were recorded. By February 2005, the earthquake's effects were still detectable as a 0.02&nbsp;mm complex harmonic oscillation of the Earth's surface, which gradually diminished and merged with the incessant free oscillation of the Earth more than 4 months after the earthquake.<ref name=Virtanen>{{Cite book | publisher = Geodetiska Institutet | last = Virtanen | first = H. | year = 2006 | title = Studies of earth dynamics with superconducting gravimeter | publisher = Academic Dissertation at the University of Helsinki | url = http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/mat/fysik/vk/virtanen/studieso.pdf | accessdate = September 21, 2009}}</ref>

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 wave|Rayleigh (surface) elastic waves]] that exceeded 1&nbsp;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&nbsp;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 [[Antipodes|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.

[[Image:sumatra waveform large.jpg|thumb|Vertical-component ground motions recorded by the IRIS/USGS Global Seismographic Network]]

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 [[microsecond]]s, due to a decrease in the [[Oblate spheroid|oblate]]ness of the Earth.<ref>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.</ref> It also caused the Earth to minutely "wobble" on its axis by up to 2.5&nbsp;cm (1&nbsp;in) in the direction of 145° east [[longitude]],<ref>Schechner, Sam. "[http://slate.msn.com/id/2111443/ Earthquakes vs. the Earth's Rotation]." ''Slate.'' December 27, 2004.</ref> or perhaps by up to 5 or 6&nbsp;cm (2.0 to 2.4 in).<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-12/29/content_2389519.htm Italian scientists say Asian quakes cause Earth's axis shifted]." ''[[Xinhua News Agency|Xinhua]].'' December 29, 2004.</ref> However, because of tidal effects of the [[Moon]], the length of a day increases at an average of 15 [[microsecond|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&nbsp;m (50&nbsp;ft), will eventually offset the minor wobble produced by the earthquake.

More spectacularly, there was 10&nbsp;m (33&nbsp;ft) movement laterally and 4–5 m (13–16&nbsp;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&nbsp;m (118&nbsp;ft), but more accurate data released more than a month after the earthquake found the movement to be about 20&nbsp;cm (7.9&nbsp;in).<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff Writer|title=Quake moved Sumatra by only 20 centimeters: Danish scientists|date=January 31, 2005|work=Agence France Presse}}</ref> 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&nbsp;m (4.1&nbsp;ft) and to have sunk by 1&nbsp;m (3.28&nbsp;ft).<ref>{{cite news|last=Bagla|first=Pallava|work=Science Now|title=After the Earth Moved|date=January 28, 2005}}</ref>

In February 2005, the [[Royal Navy]] vessel [[HMS Scott (H131)|HMS ''Scott'']] surveyed the seabed around the earthquake zone, which varies in depth between 1,000 m and 5,000 m (3,300&nbsp;ft and 16,500&nbsp;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&nbsp;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&nbsp;km long (300&nbsp;ft by 1.25&nbsp;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&nbsp;km (7&nbsp;mi) across the seabed. An [[oceanic trench]] several kilometres wide was exposed in the earthquake zone.<ref>Knight, Will. "[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6994 Asian tsunami seabed pictured with sonar]." ''[[New Scientist]].'' February 10, 2005.</ref>

The [[TOPEX/Poseidon]] and [[Jason 1]] satellites happened to pass over the tsunami as it was crossing the ocean.<ref>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.</ref> These satellites carry [[radar]]s that measure precisely the height of the water surface; anomalies of the order of 50&nbsp;cm (20&nbsp;in) were measured. Measurements from these satellites may prove invaluable for the understanding of the earthquake and tsunami.<ref>[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.''</ref> Unlike data from [[tide gauge]]s 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==
[[Image:2004 Indonesia Tsunami Complete.gif|1200px|right|frame|Animation of the tsunami caused by the earthquake showing how the tsunami radiated from the entire length of the {{km to mi|1600|abbr=yes|wiki=yes}} rupture.]]

[[File:2004 tsunami animation.gif|thumb|left|Tsunami wave field in the [[Bay of Bengal]] one hour after the M=9.2 earthquake. View to the northwest.]]

[[Image:Tsunami size scale 26Dec2004.png|right|thumb|Scale showing the size of the tsunami waves that hit Indonesia on 26 December 2004]]

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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lorca|first=Emilio|coauthors=Recabarren, Margot|title=Earthquakes and Tsunamis|year=1997}}</ref>

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&nbsp;km/h (310 to 620&nbsp;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&nbsp;m when coming ashore along large stretches of the coastline, rising to 30&nbsp;m (100&nbsp;ft) in some areas when travelling inland.<ref>Paulson, Tom. "[http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/211012_tsunamiscience07.html New findings super-size our tsunami threat]." ''Seattlepi.com.'' February 7, 2005.</ref>

[[Radar]] satellites recorded the heights of tsunami waves in deep water: at two hours after the earthquake, the maximum height was 60&nbsp;cm (2&nbsp;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 analyze.<ref>Leslie, John. "[http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2365.htm NOAA Scientists able to Measure Tsunami Height from Space]." ''NOAA Magazine.'' January 10, 2005.</ref><ref>McKee, Maggie. "[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6854 Radar satellites capture tsunami wave height]." ''[[New Scientist]].'' January 6, 2005.</ref>

According to [[Tad Murty]], vice-president of the [[Tsunami Society]], the total energy of the tsunami waves was equivalent to about five [[megaton]]s of [[Trinitrotoluene|TNT]] (20&nbsp;[[peta-|peta]]joules). This is more than twice the total explosive energy used during all of [[World War II]] (including the two [[atomic bomb]]s), but still a couple of [[order of magnitude|orders of magnitude]] less than the energy released in the earthquake itself. In many places the waves reached as far as 2&nbsp;km (1.24&nbsp;mi) inland.<ref>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.</ref>

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 [[diffraction|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.<ref>Time travel map: [http://tsun.sscc.ru/tsulab/20041226trt.htm Tsunami Laboratory, Novosibirsk, Russia].</ref><ref>Time travel map: [http://staff.aist.go.jp/kenji.satake/Sumatra-E.html Active Fault Research Center: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan].</ref> 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&nbsp;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&nbsp;km (5,300&nbsp;mi) away, where a 1.5&nbsp;m (5&nbsp;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.<ref>[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.</ref>

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&nbsp;cm (7.9 to 15.7&nbsp;in).<ref>[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.</ref> At [[Manzanillo, Colima|Manzanillo]], [[Mexico]], a 2.6&nbsp;m (8.5&nbsp;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 theorized that the tsunamis were focused and directed at long ranges by the [[mid-ocean ridge]]s which run along the margins of the continental plates.<ref>Carey, Bjorn. "[http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/050825_tsunami_waves.html Tsunami Waves Channeled Around the Globe in 2004 Disaster]." ''LiveScience.'' August 25, 2005.</ref>

===Signs 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 system]]s 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.

[[Image:KataNoiReceding.jpg|thumb|Maximum recession of tsunami waters at [[Kata Noi Beach]], [[Thailand]], before the third, and strongest, tsunami wave (sea visible in the right corner, the beach is at the extreme left), 10:25 a.m. local time.]]
Tsunami are much more frequent in the Pacific Ocean because of earthquakes in the "[[Pacific Ring of Fire|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&nbsp;km (1.6&nbsp;mi) of exposed beach, with fatal results.<ref>Block, Melissa. "[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4246573 Sri Lankans Seek Lost Relatives After Tsunami]." ''[[All Things Considered]]/[[National Public Radio|NPR]].'' December 27, 2004.</ref> However, not all tsunami causes this 'disappearing sea' effect. In some cases, there are no warning signs at all: the sea will suddenly swell without retreating, surprising many people and giving them little time to flee.
[[Image:IOTsuWaveForm.gif|thumb|right|frame|[[USGS]] graphics showing the wave structure of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Red indicate a positive wave form while Blue represent a negative wave form.]]
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.<ref>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.</ref> On Maikhao beach in northern [[Phuket city|Phuket]], [[Thailand]], a 10-year-old [[England|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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1480192/Girl-10-used-geography-lesson-to-save-lives.html Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives]." ''news.telegraph.'' January 1, 2005.</ref> [[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.

[[Anthropologist]]s had initially expected the [[Andamanese|aboriginal population]] of the [[Andaman Islands]] to be badly affected by the tsunami and even feared the endangered [[Onge people|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 suffered significant losses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4135187.stm |title=Andaman aborigines' fate unclear  |author=Subir Bhaumik   |date=Thursday, 30 December, 2004 |work= |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2010-02-13}}</ref> Many of the [[Indigenous peoples|aboriginal]]  tribes evacuated and suffered fewer casualties.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gupta |first1=Manu |last2=Sharma |first2=Anshu |year=2006 |title=Compounded loss: the post tsunami recovery experience of Indian island communities |journal=Disaster Prevention and Management |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=67–78 |url= |doi=10.1108/09653560610654248}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Math |first1=Suresh Bada |last2=Girimaji‌1 |first2=Satish Chandra |year=2006 |title=Tsunami: Psychosocial aspects of Andaman and Nicobar islands. Assessments and intervention in the early phase |journal=International Review of Psychiatry |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=233–239 |url= |doi=10.1080/09540260600656001}}</ref>

===Tsunami phases and wave form===

A tsunami can arrive at a coastline in one of two ways. First, there's the negative wave where the trough of the wave precedes the actual arrival of the crest or 'wave' itself. Here, the common and better known warning sign of an impending tsunami strike is a rapidly receding sea followed by a sudden onrushing body of water traveling inland at high speed. The second form in which a tsunami arrives is the positive wave or crest first. In this case, the warning signs are much more vague if any. The sea will usually start rising immediately rather slowly at first without the receding phase, much more like an on-coming high tide but instead of stopping at tidal level it will keep on rising faster and faster until the crest of the tsunami passes and continues moving inland. Therefore, the second form of tsunami waves are usually more dangerous owing to the fact that it can arrive without much warning giving residents less time to prepare and outrun the tsunami. These two types of tsunamis are usually generated simultaneously(in opposing direction of travel) by a megathrust earthquake similar to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

===Retreat-rise cycle (negative wave)===
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 tsunami continued to occur for the rest of the day.

===Rise-retreat-rise cycle (positive wave)===
If the crest of a tsunami arrives first, there won't be any recession. The sea level will increase rapidly to inundate everything in the path of the tsunami. This appears to be the case in countries such as Sri Lanka and India that lies to the west of the Andaman-Sumatra fault where the tsunami originates.
After the first tsunami wave passed, water will then begin to flow back into the ocean receding at a quicker pace as the second wave arrives.

<div class="center"><gallery>
Image:2ndTsunamiWave.JPG|Second tsunami wave starting to retreat, [[Kata Noi Beach]], [[Thailand]], 10:17 a.m.
Image:KataNoiRecedingWaters.JPG|Receding waters after the second tsunami, 10:20 a.m.
Image:KataNoiHighest.jpg|3rd tsunami wave, 11:00 a.m.
Image:KataNoiMoreWaves.JPG|4th tsunami wave, 11:22 a.m.
</gallery></div>

==Damage and casualties==
[[Image:Chennai beach2.jpg|thumb|[[Chennai|Chennai's]] [[Marina beach]] after the Tsunami]]
According to the [[U.S. Geological Survey]] a total of 227,898 people died (see table below for details). <ref name="usgs">[http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/#summary/ USGS.gov]</ref> Measured in lives lost, this is one of the ten [[List of earthquakes#Deadliest earthquakes on record|worst earthquakes in recorded history]], as well as the single worst tsunami in history. Indonesia was by far the worst affected area, specifically in [[Aceh]].<ref>http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/home?aspxerrorpath=/404.aspx</ref>

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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4383573.stm Most tsunami dead female - Oxfam]." ''[[BBC News]].'' March 26, 2005.</ref>

In addition to the large number of local residents, up to 9,000&nbsp;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.<ref>{{cite news | 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}}</ref>

[[State of emergency|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 organisation]]s fear the final [[death toll]] may double as a result of diseases, prompting a massive [[humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|humanitarian response]].

For purposes of establishing timelines of local events, the [[time zone]]s of affected areas are: UTC+3: (Kenya, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania); UTC+4: (Mauritius, Réunion, Seychelles); UTC+5: (Maldives); UTC+5:30: (India, Sri Lanka); UTC+6: (Bangladesh); UTC+6:30: (Cocos Islands, Myanmar); UTC+7: (Indonesia (western), Thailand); UTC+7: (Malaysia, Singapore). Since the earthquake occurred at 00:58:53 [[UTC]], add the above offsets to find the local time of the earthquake.
<!-- Please update the relevant sections of the article before updating this table. Please update totals as well.  NB: This table refers only to countries directly affected by the tsunami, not to countries whose citizens were affected while overseas. -->
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="text-align: center; background: #eee"

! rowspan="2" | Country where<br/>deaths occurred
! colspan="2" | Deaths
! rowspan="2" | Injured
! rowspan="2" | Missing
! rowspan="2" | Displaced
|- style="text-align: center; background: #eee"
! Confirmed
! Estimated<sup>1</sup>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Indonesia|Indonesia]]
| 130,736
| 220,000<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4204385.stm</ref>
|&nbsp;—
| 37,063<ref name="sify.com">[http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13713552 Sify.com]</ref>
| 500,000+<ref>[http://www.irw.org/tsunami/ IRW.org]</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]<sup>2</sup>
| 35,322<ref name="wsws1">[http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/dec2005/sri2-d29.shtml WSWS.org]</ref>
| 35,322
| 21,411<ref name="wsws1"/>
|
| 516,150<ref name="wsws1"/>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on India|India]]
<!--NOTE: For India, the only "Confirmed" death tolls are found at the official website: http://www.ndmindia.nic.in. *Everything else* is to be listed under "Estimated".  This is a serious problem because some media publications have already presumed that all the missing people are dead. Others report with the terminology "killed or feared killed". That makes it an estimate. Let's just use the official figures under "Confirmed".  The "Displaced" numbers here do not include people whose homes are intact, but who were 'moved to a safer place', as with the other countries in the table. -->
| 12,405
| 18,045
|&nbsp;—
| 5,640
| 647,599
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Thailand|Thailand]]
| 5,395<sup>3</sup><ref name="memorial">[http://www.tsunamimemorial.or.th/information.htm TsunamiMemorial.or.th]</ref>
| 8,212
| 8,457<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080413233433/http://www.disaster.go.th/news01/12_47/news_after_shock_34.pdf Disaster.go.th]</ref>
| 2,817<ref name="memorial"/>
| 7,000
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Somalia|Somalia]]
| 78
| 289<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4560246.stm News.BBC.co.uk]</ref>
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
| 5,000<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080507034200/http://www.reliefweb.int/enwiki/w/rwb.nsf/UNID/D39A0A882D6A7E9985256F82006A1158?OpenDocument Reliefweb.int]</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Myanmar|Myanmar (Burma)]]
| 61<ref name="sify.com"/>
| 400–600<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=2255 AsiaNews.it]</ref>
| 45
| 200<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4145489.stm News.BBC.co.uk]</ref>
| 3,200
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on the Maldives|Maldives]]
| 82<ref>[http://www.tsunamimaldives.mv/?action=situationAssesment TsunamiMaldives.mv]</ref>
| 108<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060823134549/http://www.mv.undp.org/drtf/presentation.pdf UNDP.org]</ref>
|&nbsp;—
| 26
| 15,000+
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Malaysia|Malaysia]]
| 68<ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/200501/13/eng20050113_170555.html People.com]</ref>
| 75
| 299<ref>[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/killerwaves ChannelNewsAsia.com]</ref>
| 6
|&nbsp;—
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering some casualties and damage|Tanzania]]
| 10<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1275702.htm ABC.net.au]</ref>
| 13
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering some casualties and damage|Seychelles]]
| 3<ref name="rw">[http://web.archive.org/web/20080506125422/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KHII-6KH4KY?OpenDocument reliefweb.int]</ref>
| 3
| 57<ref name="rw"/>
|&nbsp;—
| 200<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060324222422/http://www.alnap.org/tec/pdf/TEC_initial_report_20051223_finalversion.pdf Alnap.org]</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering some casualties and damage|Bangladesh]]
| 2
| 2
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering some casualties and damage|South Africa]]
| 2<sup>4</sup><ref>[http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=271&fArticleId=2357542 CapeTimes.co.za]</ref>
| 2
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering some casualties and damage|Yemen]]
| 2<ref>[http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=45705&SelectRegion=Middle_East&SelectCountry=YEMEN Irinnews.org]</ref>
| 2
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering some casualties and damage|Kenya]]
| 1
| 1
| 2
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#Countries suffering damage only|Madagascar]]
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
|&nbsp;—
| 1,000+<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4129639.stm News.BBC.co.uk]</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:left;"| Total
| ~184,167
| ~280,000
| ~125,000
| ~45,752
| ~1.69 million
|-
| colspan="6" style="text-align:right; padding:0 5px;"| <small class="editlink noprint plainlinksneverexpand">
|}
<div class="small">
''Note: All figures are approximate and subject to change. The first column links to more details on specific countries.''<br/>
<sup>1</sup> Includes those reported under 'Confirmed'. If no separate estimates are available, the number in this column is the same as reported under 'Confirmed'.<br/>
<sup>2</sup> Does not include approximately 19,000 missing people initially declared by [[Tamil Tigers|Tamil Tiger]] authorities from regions under their control.<br/>
<sup>3</sup> Data includes at least 2,464 foreigners.<br/>
<sup>4</sup> Does not include South African citizens who died outside of South Africa (eg, tourists in Thailand). For more information on those deaths, see [[Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake#S - Z|this]]
</div>{{-}}
===Countries affected===
[[Image:2004 Indian Ocean earthquake - affected countries.png|thumb|Countries most affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.]]
{{Main|Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake}}

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&nbsp;citizens each in the disaster.

===Event in historical context===
This [[earthquake]] was the biggest in the [[Indian Ocean]] in some 700 years, or since around A.D. 1400.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7697482.stm BBC.co.uk, Tsunami in 2004 'not the first']</ref><ref>[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gjmISYdBCLjY1eFtSMUOSsApr2_AD944AB583 ap.google.com, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami biggest in 600 years]{{Dead link|date=October 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200810/s2405442.htm?tab=asia RadioaAstralia.net.au, Researchers uncover 2004 tsunami predecessor]</ref> In 2008, a team of scientists working on Phra Thong, a barrier island along the hard-hit west coast of [[Thailand]], reported evidence of at least three previous major tsunamis in the preceding 2,800 years, the most recent from about 550 to 700 years ago. A second team found similar evidence of previous tsunamis during the last 1,200 years in [[Aceh]], a province at the northern tip of [[Sumatra]]. Radiocarbon dating of bark fragments in soil below the second sand layer led the scientists to estimate that the most recent predecessor to the 2004 tsunami probably occurred between A.D. 1300 and 1450.<ref>[http://newswise.com/articles/view/545772/ Scientists Find Evidence of Tsunamis on Indian Ocean Shores Long Before 2004] Newswise, Retrieved on November 2, 2008.</ref>

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 earthquake|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 Shaanxi earthquake|1556 in Shaanxi, China]], with an estimated death toll of 830,000, though figures from this time period may not be reliable.<ref name=usgs1>[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]].''</ref>

{{Deadliest earthquakes|align=left}}
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]].<ref>{{ja icon}}Not 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</ref> The tsunami created by the 1883 eruption of [[Krakatoa]] is thought to have resulted in 36,000&nbsp;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 damage==
[[Image:Sumatra devastation1.jpg|thumb|A town near the coast of [[Sumatra]] lies in ruin on January 2, 2005. This picture was taken by a United States military helicopter crew from the USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' that was conducting humanitarian operations.]]
[[Image:2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake relief2.jpg|thumb|Indonesians gather under an approaching helicopter to receive food and supplies.]]
The human destruction of [[coral reef]]s 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.<ref name="WSJ">{{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}}</ref> 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 [[dune]]s.<ref name="WSJ"/>

==Humanitarian, economic and environmental impact==
{{Main|Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake}}
A great deal of [[humanitarian aid]] was needed because of widespread damage of the [[infrastructure]], shortages of food and water, and economic damage. [[Epidemic]]s 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 [[hepatitis B|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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4157947.stm UN upbeat on tsunami hunger aid]." ''[[BBC News]].'' January 9, 2005.</ref>

In the days following the tsunami, significant effort was spent in [[burial|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&nbsp;million people affected by the tsunami.<ref>[http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=1858 United Nations: World Food Programme: Report on the Tsunami Crisis].</ref>
{{See|Health risks from dead bodies}}

Nations all over the world provided over US$7 billion in aid for damaged regions, with the governments of [[Government of Australia|Australia]] pledging US$819.9 million (including a US$760.6-million aid package for Indonesia), [[Government of Germany|Germany]] offering US$660 million, [[Japanese government|Japan]] offering US$500 million, [[Government of Canada|Canada]] offering US$343 million, [[Government of Norway|Norway]] and [[The Netherlands]] offering both US$183 million, the [[United States federal government|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 was donated by the population using the SMS system<ref>{{cite news|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 | work=BBC News}}</ref> 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 [[United States dollar|$]]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.<ref>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.</ref>

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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4361053.stm Tsunami aid shortfall over $4bn]." ''[[BBC News]].'' March 18, 2005.</ref> 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 [[Fisheries#Fisheries and communities|coastal fishing communities]] and fisherfolk, some of the poorest people in the region, has been devastating with high losses of [[income earner]]s as well as boats and fishing gear.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://www.ukabc.org/tsunamis.htm Indian Ocean Tsunamis Devastate Fisherfolk]." ''UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition.'' December 26, 2004.</ref> 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.<ref>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.</ref>

The tsunami created demand for fiberglass reinforced plastic catamarans in boatyards of Tamil Nadu.<ref>[http://www.bobpigo.org/bbn/sep_06/pages10-12.pdf Demand for FRP boats rise after tsunami]</ref>

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 [[gross domestic product|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.<ref>Pearce, Fred. "[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6840 Tsunami's salt water may leave islands uninhabitable]." ''[[New Scientist]].'' January 5, 2005.</ref>

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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6791600 Tsunami redrew ship channels, ocean floor]." ''[[MSNBC]]/[[Associated Press]].'' January 5, 2005.</ref>

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===
[[Image:TsunamiAftermathNorthofPhuket NASA.jpg|thumb|Tsunami inundation, [[Khao Lak]], North of [[Phuket city|Phuket]], Thailand ASTER Images and SRTM Elevation Model.]]
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 [[ecosystem]]s such as [[mangrove]]s, [[coral reef]]s, [[forest]]s, coastal [[wetland]]s, [[vegetation]], sand [[dunes]] and [[rock (geology)|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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://www.oceansatlas.org/id/71687 Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems]." ''UN Atlas of the Oceans.'' Accessed: March 10, 2005.</ref>

According to specialists, the main effect is being caused by poisoning of the [[freshwater]] supplies and the soil by [[seawater|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 [[aquifer]]s 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.<ref>Falt, Eric. "[http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=414&amp;ArticleID=4692&amp;l=en Environmental Issues Emerging from Wreckage of Asian Tsunami]." ''United Nations Environment Programme.''</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> In response to a request from the [[Politics of the Maldives|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===
[[Image:Bush 2004 tsunami note.jpg|thumb|A note signed by [[George W. Bush]], then President of the United States, his wife [[Laura Bush]], and former Presidents [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[Bill Clinton]], expressing their condolences during a visit to the embassy of [[Sri Lanka]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], Monday, January 3, 2005. The President wrote, “We pray for the victims and families of this epic disaster. And the American government and American people are dedicated to helping you recover.”]]
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 [[Islam]]ic society and has had no tourism nor any Western presence in recent years due to [[Insurgency in Aceh (1976–2005)|armed conflict]] between the [[Indonesian military]] and [[Free Aceh Movement|Acehnese separatists]]. Some believe that the tsunami was divine punishment for lay [[Muslim]]s 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.<ref>Broadway, Bill. "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57758-2005Jan7.html Divining a Reason for Devastation]." ''[[Washington Post]].'' January 8, 2005.</ref>  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 [[Free Aceh Movement|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.<ref>[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.</ref>

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]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.apjc.org.au/program6.html |title=Asia Pacific Journalism Centre&nbsp;— Home Page |accessdate=2007-10-24 |work=}}</ref>

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]].<ref name="Press">[[Press Trust of India]] (December 30, 2004) ''Alert scaled down, capping day long confusion.''</ref> In response, the India [[Minister for Home Affairs (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.<ref name="Press"/> The announcement generated panic in the Indian Ocean region and caused thousands to flee their homes, which resulted in jammed roads.<ref name="Tran">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.]''</ref> The announcement was a false alarm and the Home Affairs minister withdrew their announcement.<ref name="Tran"/> On further investigation, the India government learned that the consulting company Terra Research was run from the home of a self-described [[Earthquake prediction|earthquake forecaster]] who had no telephone listing and maintained a website where he sold copies of his detection system.<ref>[[Associated Press]] (December 31, 2004) ''[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002136533_panic31.html Suspect quake forecast causes panic.]''</ref> Three days after the announcement, [[Indian National Congress]] president [[Sonia Gandhi]] called [[Department of Science & Technology (India)|Science & Technology]] minister [[Kapil Sibal]] to express her concern about Sibal's December 30 public warning being "[[wiktionary:hogwash|hogwash]]".<ref>[[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.]''</ref>

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.<ref>Staff Writer. "[http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg18524883.800 Tsunami waves exposed remnants of lost city]." ''[[New Scientist]].'' February 26, 2005.</ref><ref>Staff Writer. "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4302115.stm India finds more 'tsunami gifts']." ''[[BBC News]].'' February 27, 2005.</ref>

The tsunami had a severe humanitarian and political impact in Sweden. The hardest hit country outside Asia, 543 Swedish tourists, mainly in Thailand, died. With no single incident having killed more Swedish people since the [[battle of Poltava]] in 1709, the [[cabinet of Göran Persson]] was heavily criticized for lack of action. The event was examined by an independent inquiry, ''Katastrofkommissionen''.{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}

==See also==
*''[[Children of the Tsunami: No More Tears]]'' (documentary film)
*[[July 2006 Java earthquake]]
*[[List of earthquakes]]
*[[List of Indonesian earthquakes]]
*[[May 2006 Java earthquake]]
*[[Megathrust earthquake]]
*[[Megatsunami]]
*[[Plate tectonics]]
*[[Pornthip Rojanasunand]], a prominent [[Thai people|Thai]] doctor who took charge of ID of bodies
*[[Seismology]]
*[[Seismotectonics]]
*[[Tectonics]]
*[[Tsunami]]
*''[[Tsunami: The Aftermath]]'', a television miniseries about its after-effects
*[[Tsunami Evaluation Coalition]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|3}}
*
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake|s=2004 Indian Ocean tsunami bulletins}}
[http://cgs.illinois.edu/resources/webvideo/the-december-26-2004-sumatra-earthquake-and-indian-ocean-tsunami-field-perspectiv 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://cgs.illinois.edu/ The Center for Global Studies] and [http://www.cas.uiuc.edu/ Center for Advanced Study], University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
*[http://asc-india.org/lib/20041226-sumatra.htm Special Event Page, Amateur Seismic Centre, India]
*[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]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/2059330.stm BBC, History of deadly earthquakes]
*[http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view.php?pid=UQ:7781 Tsunami Surges on Dry Coastal Plains: Application of Dam Break Wave Equations], Coastal Engineering Journal, 48 4: 355–370
*[http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view.php?pid=UQ:9446 The 26 December 2004 Tsunami: a Hydraulic Engineering Phenomenon of International Significance. First Comments], Journal La Houille Blanche, No. 2, pp.&nbsp;25–32
* [http://tsunami.trust.org/ Surviving the Tsunami - Stories of Hope] Thomson Reuters Foundation & IFRC
*[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/tsunami/ Channel News Asia&nbsp;– One Year On, Memorial & Updates to the Asian Tsunami Disaster]
*{{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)]
* [http://www.zoriah.net/blog/2008/12/asian-tsunami-anniversary-thailand-tsunami-then-and-now-comparison-series.html Thailand Tsunami Then and Now Comparison Series] by photojournalist [[Zoriah Miller]]
* [http://www.recoveringafuture.org.uk/ Five years on and the decisions for recovery] by [[British Red Cross]]
{{Earthquakes in 2004}}
{{SumatraMegathrust}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake}}
[[Category:2004 Indian Ocean earthquake| ]]
[[Category:2004 earthquakes|Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Tsunamis]]
[[Category:Disasters in Sri Lanka|Tsunami]]
[[Category:2004 in Sri Lanka|Tsunami]]
[[Category:History of Southeast Asia]]
[[Category:Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Megathrust earthquakes|Indian Ocean earthquake, 2004]]
[[Category:Earthquakes in Indonesia|Indian Ocean earthquake, 2004]]
[[Category:2004 in Indonesia]]
[[Category:2004 natural disasters]]

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