The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: causes and impacts

Tsunami in Indian Ocean in 2004

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

The tsunami that occurred in the Indian Ocean on the 26th of December 2004 caused more than two-hundred thousand deaths and extensive economic and physical damage - including environmental damage to the countries in the region. The Tsunami was triggered by an underground seismic event that displaced ocean water and created a massive wave that inundated the coastal regions of the area.

There has been a long history of tsunamis in the region as well as in other areas of the world. The 2004 tsunami was the most devastating and destructive in recent history. One of the aspects that stand out in this event is that the number of deaths in the region has been directly attributed to the lack of an adequate early warning system. In recent years efforts have been underway to remedy this situation. Another critique is that in the aftermath of the disaster there was little coordination and planning in terms of the assistance and aid to the region - although this assistance was extensive and did help to reduce the after effects of the tsunami, such as starvation and disease. Central to the studies and reports on this event is that future planning should be more extensive and should also be cognizant of the fact that future tsunamis in this sensitive geological area are likely to occur again.

1. Introduction devastating Tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean on the 26th of December 2004.

A large mass of water was generated by an extremely powerful earthquake and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in the region. Damage amounting to billions of dollars was caused by this event as well as leaving devastation in its wake. The social and cultural consequences of the tsunami are still being felt in some areas.

While a tsunami is a natural event and hard to predict, many reports and studies of the events of December, 2004 suggest that much more could have been done to reduce the loss of life and damage to property through there use of a more adequate early warning systems. This paper will provide a comprehensive overview of this aspect as well as a detailed breakdown of the events that occurred on the 26th of December, 2004. This discussion will also explore the causes of the tsunami as well as the possible ways of improving warning systems and relief mechanisms that can prevent a large scale loss of life in any future events of this kind.

2. Overview

It is important to realize that the 2004 Tsunami was not the first occurrence of this phenomenon in this region. As one report states,

Scientists have found evidence which indicates that the 2004 tsunami that inundated Indian Ocean coastlines, leaving behind a trail of destruction, was not a first-time occurrence, as the mega waves have repeatedly washed over a Thai island during the last 2,800 years.

Anonymous. 2004 tsunami was not the first one in Indian Ocean!) tsunami is described as a "...distinctive secondary earthquake-related hazard" and a "seismic sea wave." (Smith 89) in other words, a tsunami is a movement of sea water that is related to an earthquake underneath the sea. In more specific terms, what occurs is that there is a movement or displacement of the tectonic plates on the ocean floor caused by the earthquake. This causes a massive displacement of ocean water, which results in the rapid and devastating large-scale flooding of coastal areas. There can also be other causes such as the "...collapse of volcanic islands (e.g. Krakatoa in 1883), large rock falls into confined bays and meteorite impacts..." (Smith, 2004, p. 89) the following is a clear and precise description of a tsunami caused by an earthquake, as was case in the December 2004 event..

A a] tsunami may be generated any time tectonic plates scrub together beneath a body of water severely enough to cause one plate to drive beneath another, a process known as subduction. When this occurs, the seabed buckles, thrusting a column of water upward. Once the column reaches the surface, this mass of water or set of waves races at speeds sometimes in excess of 700 km/h, potentially devastating any adjacent land areas (Escaleras and Register, 2008)

This phenomenon has been known to occur throughout human history. One of the earliest evidence that we have of a tsunami was an event in the Aegean Sea in 1480 BC. This was the result of a volcanic explosion on the island of Santorini. The resulting tsunami is historically given as the cause of the destruction of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete. (Escaleras & Register, 2008)

In more recent times there have been many recorded reports of tsunamis and their devastating effect on human society and life. As one study points out, there have been approximately 202 tsunamis reported worldwide since 1996. (Escaleras and Register, 2008) the worst of these modern occurrences was the event in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. One of the reasons given for the devastating results of this tsunami was that the epicenter of the tsunami was only about 30 km from the shores of the densely populated Indonesian island of Sumatra. (Escaleras & Register, 2008)

It is important to note that Tsunami's have been reported from many regions and areas over the years. For example in the Pacific Ocean tsunamis have been responsible for great loss of life in the past, with over 50,000 coastal residents killed during the past 100 years. (Smith, 2004, p. 89) in this region the most active region for earthquakes and tsunamis is around the Japan-Taiwan island arc. (Smith, 2004, p. 89)

There have also been major earthquakes in the Andaman Sea and further South along the Sumatra, Java and Sunda sections of one of the earths greatest fault zones. (Pararas-Carayannis) the Andaman Sea is a very important and active area for earthquake and seismic activity and "...a total of 348 earthquakes were recorded in the area." (Pararas-Carayannis) However, the event of December 2004 was one of the most devastating tsunamis ever recorded in this region

3. The sequence of events.

Early on the morning of December 26, 2004 a magnitude 9.3 earthquake struck off the Northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. "The tsunami waves that struck South and South-East Asia in the early hours of 26 December 2004 claimed the lives of at least 283-000 people and displaced a further 1.1 million in the region" (Greenhough, Jazeel, and Massey) the tsunami was devastating and affected many areas along the coast, almost wiping out areas across southeastern Asia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Myanmar and islands in the Andaman Sea and the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. (Pararas-Carayannis) the extent of the damage of the tsunami was not limited to these areas however, and it caused damage as well as killed people more than 2,000 kilometers away, in the Seychelles and in Somalia. (Pararas-Carayannis)

The events that led up to the deaths of more then two hundred thousand people can be summarized as follows. As noted, the earthquake was the result of a "...fault where the oceanic portion of the Indian Plate slides under Sumatra, part of the Eurasian Plate." (Anonymous: 2008. The December 26, 2004 Sumatran Tsunami) in essence, what took place was that the ocean floor was changed and pushed upwards by the earthquake. This movement of the ocean floor caused the creation of a wave that was possibly more then 25 meters high. This wave moved rapidly towards the shoreline and created the death and devastation that was experienced that day.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the moment magnitude of the earthquake at 9. This is an extremely high reading and makes this earthquake the fourth largest in the world since 1900, as well as being the largest since the 1964 Alaska earthquake. (Pararas-Carayannis)

However, what is of significance as well is that after the beginning of this event there was no immediate tsunami warning issues to the residents of the coastal regions.

The large tsunami which struck 11 of the nations that border the Indian Ocean was a complete surprise for the people living there..." (Pararas-Carayannis) This fact has become a major source of debate and contention and has resulted in efforts to improve the early earning system in the Indian Ocean

4. The impact of the Tsunami

The most immediate effect of the Tsunami was obviously the loss of life and the destruction that it left in its wake. "...the focus of media attention and government and international efforts were concentrated on the immediate site of death and destruction." (Rigg et al. 2005) the rising death toll from this disaster was horrendous and increased as more and more bodies were discovered. It is understandable that the focus of attention should be on the loss of human life and the damage caused.

In this regard it should also be noted that the economic and other subsidiary costs of the tsunami were extensive and included the following aspects.

Besides the deaths, more than one million people were left homeless and hundreds of thousands homes and businesses were destroyed. The United Nations estimated that, "...the disaster will prove to be the costliest ever recorded, with full economic recovery not expected for up to 10 years in many areas. " (Intute: Science, engineering and technology: Tsunamis)

The physical structure of the coast and the environment was severely damaged which meant that flora and fauna was disrupted and destroyed. "The extent of this damage is being assessed and will likely vary considerably depending on the local topography and hydrology." (Anonymous: Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems)

In addition to the environmental damage and pollution caused by the Tsunami was the fact that non-biodegradable waste such as plastics led to an increase of marine debris.

Another environmental aspect was that, "Toxic wastes, which were inadequately stored, may have been dispersed."

Anonymous: Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems)

However, the effect and impact of the tsunami was not only limited to the immediate results of the wave of water and there are further aspects that have to be considered. As one study of the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami states;

One of the durable themes of our research is that the impact of natural disasters is never merely local. While the physical damage was concentrated along a relatively narrow coastal fringe, in human terms the tsunami's impact, like the earthquake and resulting tsunami itself, rippled outward from its epicentre. (Rigg et al. 2005)

In other words, the impact of the tsunami was even more extensive than its immediate effects. This relates to the fact that many towns, villages and areas were very ill prepared for the impact of a disaster of this nature. This also refers to cultural and psychological aspects of the affect of the tsunami.

One of the effects that has lingered long after the physical effects of the tsunami is fear; "The nature and unprecedented scale of the tsunami in the Andaman Sea created an intense sense of fear; in particular, the fear of the unknown, the uncertain and the uncontrollable." (Rigg et al. 2005) This has had the result of changing traditional cultural views and the introduction of previously unacceptable scientific concepts. The event was also related in a cultural context to various religious and ethical views; for example, the view that Muslims has been "punished " by God as a result of young Muslims deviating from the ethos and traditions of Islam and indulging in the consumption of drugs and alcohol. (Rigg et al. 2005)

It may seem contradictory and slightly unfeeling to speak of positive outcomes or results of the tsunami, however there are some studies that suggest more positive consequences that have resulted from this event. One possible positive result is that it caused many civil conflicts in the region to come to halt and many political groups to reassess there disagreements and conflicts in the light of the magnitude of this disaster. An example of this is the political conflict that was prominent in Aceh before the tsunami.

Then came the tsunami. Its staggering impact, as well as the sudden arrival of outside help, transformed Aceh's political and social landscape. The warring parties realized that if Aceh was to be rebuilt, they'd have to stop fighting. A ceasefire agreement was signed in August (Herlinger, 2006, p. 11)

5. The aftermath: Remedial actions and reduction of the problem.

As has been referred to in this paper, one of the central critiques is that there was no adequate early warning system in place. Coupled with this is the view that the aftermath of the tsunami was inadequately dealt with by countries involved and world agencies and bodies. As Smith (2004) points out, there has to be a great deal of preparation and planning to deal with an event of this nature which can create death and devastation in a very short period of time. "If a tsunami is generated locally, the evacuation time before the arrival of the first tidal wave is likely to be only 20-25 minutes and routes to the higher refuge area have to be well organised and understood" (Smith 68)

It follows therefore, that an early warning system is an essential aspect in dealing with a tsunami. While there is no way to prevent a tsunami for occurring, if sufficient warning is given many lives can be saved. In this regard it should be noted that at the time no Tsunami Warning System existed for the Indian Ocean. While there is an extensive system in the pacific, this is not he case in the Indian Ocean. (Pararas-Carayannis)

To remedy this situation there have been renewed efforts to establish a more adequate and effective warning system in the region. One of the projects that have been initiated is the German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean (GITEWS). The technical aspects of this system are being tested during 2008 and will begin operating in 2009. The system is based on a system of buoys and sensors that are linked to a warning control system, which will hopefully be able to prevent future devastation and death and send timely warnings to the authorities in the region. (Status Quo of the Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean. 2008)

Much criticism has also been leveled at the relief efforts that were undertaken after the event. This suggests that mode coordination and planning from outside institutions and aid agencies would have helped to reduce trauma and suffering and that this is an aspect that can be remedied for the future. It is also emphasized in many studies that while there was a great deal of assistance and aid provide to the people of the region after the tsunami, yet Good intentions often led to irrelevant, even Insulting results: deliveries of used underwear, of thick woollen coats in tropical areas and of medicines past their sell-by dates, or the arrival of hundreds of unqualified volunteers. The pressure to perform quickly and visibly -- to show that something was being done -- became formidable, and the results were often unfortunate (Stone, 2006)

On the other hand, many reports note that the assistance that'd provided was extremely helpful. This can also be seen in the fact that there were relatively few deaths due to lack of medical care or starvation and there were no serous outbreaks of disease.

Many studies discuss the possible aspects that should be focused on to ameliorate the effects of any future tsunamis. Stone (2006) suggests some central aspects that should be borne in mind in dealing with future disaster scenarios of this nature.

1. Only a few experienced, well-known international humanitarian organizations should receive funding.

2. All programs should be beneficiary-driven and not dreamt up at a distance and imposed.

3. The definition of a disaster victim needs to include the poor who are indirectly affected.

4. The press and public need to learn that rehabilitation requires time and may be invisible to the camera. (Stone, 2006)

6. Concluding remarks

An event such as the Tsunami of 2004 is a major disaster that cannot be prevented but which can be planned and organized for in the future. What becomes clear form reading the literature on tsunamis is that major events and disasters are very often forgotten over time and the lesson learnt for the past are often not applied. This is a point that is made by Mcguire (2005). "The resilience of the human condition, and the speed with which memories are erased following even the most devastating natural catastrophe, are truly astonishing." (Mcguire, 2005) Mcquire refers to examples such as the fact that in 1883 the coastline of Indonesia was "...battered by waves four times higher than those that claimed more than 100,000 lives on Boxing Day last year." (Mcguire, 2005) This therefore refers to the necessity to remember past evens like major tsunamis and not to forget the possibility of future events that may be even more devastating than in the past. Remembering the past also means that adequate warning systems and preparations need to be implemented as a matter of urgency, so that future disasters can be dealt with less loss of life and destruction.