CASE STUDY: INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI, 2004

CASE STUDY: INDIAN OCEAN BOXING DAY TSUNAMI, 2004

Causes:

• Earthquake had a magnitude of 8-8.9 on Richter scale.
• Epicentre 256km off Sumatra's coastline.
• Hypocentre depth of 10km below sea level.
• Destructive boundary between the Indo-Australian plate.
• Earthquake of 9.1 caused seabed to rise 15m.
• Earthquake released 1/8th of all earthquake energy released over 100 years.

Facts:

• 1:00am, GMT.
• 26th December, 2004.
• High population density caused major casulties.
• Hot climate means disease and lack of sanitation is a contributer to death toll.
• An LEDC example of an earthquake.

Social Impacts:

• Many small coastal villages were wiped off the map, including Kao Lak.
• Many people especially those on the beach were drowned immediately. 
• Total death toll estimated at 228,000.
• 1.7 million were left homeless or displaced.
• Widespread…