20 years later: A look at the deadliest disaster to strike Earth in modern history
On the morning of Dec. 26, 2004, an estimated 9.2-magnitude earthquake violently shook the seafloor off Indonesia, sending a 100-foot wall of water towards communities around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 220,000 people.
Remembering the 20th anniversary of the deadliest disaster in modern history
Thursday marks the 20th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people in multiple countries around the Indian Ocean. Seismologist Barry Hirshorn and executive producer/director Daniel Bogado spoke about the historic event and how they captured in the documentary "Tsunami: Race Against Time." Dec. 26, 2024.
Twenty years have now passed since a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated communities in Southeast Asia, resulting in more than 220,000 confirmed deaths and millions displaced following the historic event.
On the morning of Dec. 26, 2004, an estimated 9.2-magnitude earthquake violently shook the seafloor off Indonesia, sending a 100-foot wall of water towards communities around the Indian Ocean.
Countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand were the hardest hit, with entire villages collapsing and being washed away.
Survivors faced isolation and disease as initial rescue and relief efforts were stretched thin due to the overwhelming scope of the disaster.
At the time, U.S. President George W. Bush remarked that the scale of the losses was beyond comprehension, as some governments were accused of delaying the emergency response.
![Aerial file photo shows a coastal area of Banda Aceh, 05 January 2005, two weeks after a powerful tsunami hit the region on December 26 2004, following a submarine earthquake, leaving 228,429 people dead and missing. Sri Lankan authorities issued a tsunami warning calling for coastal evacuation, following an 8.2-Richter quake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra 28 March 2005.]()
Image 1 of 3BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA: (FILES) Aerial file photo shows a coastal area of Banda Aceh, 05 January 2005, two weeks after a powerful tsunami hit the region on December 26 2004, following a submarine earthquake, leaving 228,429 people dead and missing. Sri Lankan authorities issued a tsunami warning calling for coastal evacuation, following an 8.2-Richter quake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra 28 March 2005. (CHOO YOUN-KONG/AFP via Getty Images)
![Search And Recovery Continues In Nias, Indonesia]()
Image 2 of 3NIAS, INDONESIA - DECEMBER 29: Houses lie destroyed at Sirombu village December 29, 2004 in Nias, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Indonesia's northern Sumatra island after a massive undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami December 26, 2004. (Photo by Getty Images)
![Banda Aceh Struggles After Devastating Quake]()
Image 3 of 3BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA - JANUARY 6: Elephants pull debris January 6, 2005 to clear an area destroyed by the tsunami in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The province of Aceh, one of the worst hit regions by the 9.0 earthquake which ravaged the region, lost over 50,000 people. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
In the years following the disaster, the international community raised more than $13 billion in donations, making it the largest humanitarian response to any natural disaster.
Researchers who have studied the region and visited the areas impacted by the Boxing Day Tsunami say signs of the disaster are still visible decades later.
Experts have noted that the affected regions continue to lag behind economically compared to areas not impacted by the waves, and many survivors still live with post-traumatic stress.
Map of the 2004 earthquake
FAULT THAT TRIGGERED 7.0 EARTHQUAKE OFF CALIFORNIA NOT KNOWN TO PRODUCE SIZABLE TSUNAMIS
What triggered the earthquake and could it happen again?
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the historic earthquake was caused by the subduction of the Indo-Australian tectonic plate beneath the Eurasian plate.
The region, known as the Sunda Trench, is highly seismic and has produced several earthquakes with magnitudes exceeding 7.0 since 2004.
Remembering the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
On Dec. 26, 2004, a 9.2-magnitude earthquake shook Southeast Asia, triggering the worst tsunami in recorded history. According to United Nations estimates, more than 220,000 people were killed and significant damage was reported across 15 countries.
Statistically, the occurrence of a magnitude 9.0 earthquake along the fault does not happen but once every several hundred years to over 1,000 years; however, seismologists caution that the interval between such events can be highly irregular.
The National Earthquake Information Center estimates that around 12,000–14,000 earthquakes occur each year around the world, but only a small minority are felt by humans on the surface.
Earthquakes with a magnitude of 8.0 or greater are considered to be "great quakes" and only occur once every two years along the thousands of fault lines around the world.
Is the region more prepared for a tsunami?
In the wake of the 2004 disaster, millions of dollars were spent on the upgrade and establishment of tsunami warning systems that were not widely available before the event.
Buoys have been deployed to detect sea level changes, sirens have been installed in some coastal areas for evacuations and education is now part of the preparedness curriculum.
One of the many systems that has been deployed is known as the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS), which became fully operational in 2011.
KUTA BEACH, INDONESIA - DECEMBER 26: The receiver of an Indonesia Tsunami Early Warning System, December 26, 2006 on Kuta Beach, Bali Resort Island, Indonesia. (Photo by Dimas Ardian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Dimas Ardian/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Despite the investments, the United Nations admits there are still large stretches of the world’s coastline that may not be prepared for a similar devastating event.
The organization’s Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is aiming to make 100% of at-risk communities tsunami ready by 2030.
"Disasters can strike at any time. Always stay alert by being aware of your surroundings, understanding potential hazards, recognizing natural warning signs, and knowing the evacuation routes to a safe place. You must stay strong," Syarifah Nargis, a survivor of the 2004 tsunami, recently shared with UNESCO.