Recent Seismic Event - Indian Ocean 2004

Question 1

Key Information

Answer 1

• Occurred on 26th December 2004
• Earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra
• 9.1 magnitude earthquake
• The tsunami lasted for seven hours and reached Indonesia and Thailand
• Tsunami wave travelled up to 500 mph

Question 2

Primary Impacts

Answer 2

• 250,000 people are estimated to have been killed including many tourists
• Thousands of people were made homeless

Question 3

Secondary impacts

Answer 3

• Outbreaks of diseases such as cholera
• Hundreds of people lost their jobs as tourist hotels in Thailand were destroyed

Question 4

Short term responses

Answer 4

• The remoteness of many communities political instability and the disruption of local infrastructure meant that many thousands of people were cut off from emergency support

Question 5

Long term responses

Answer 5

• The government declared a buffer zone prohibiting building on coastline
• Community awareness programmes mapped in place
• An early warning system was installed