Geography

Tsunami Case Study

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Indian Ocean tsunami, 26th December 2004.

  • The Indo Australian plate subducted under the Eurasian plate.
  • Earthquake mesured 9.1 on the Richter scale.
  • Wave travelled around the world three times.

Primary effects.

  • Tsunami wave travelling at 500mph/800kph.
  • Highest wave of 25m came ashore.
  • 220,000 died.
  • 650,000 seriously injured.
  • 2 million made homeless.
  • Private and public buildings such as schools and hospitals destroyed.
  • Some 1,500 settlements believed to have been wiped out completely in Banda Aceh.
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Secondary effects.

  • Polluted, standing water unable to drain away.
  • Cases of cholera from polluted water.
  • Increase in mosquito habitats.
  • Increase in mosquito related malaria.
  • Disease spread from dead bodies.

Short term/immediate responses.

  • Rescue and emergency teams overwhelmed, but tried to help
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