Indian Ocean 2004 Earthquake

In 2004, a 9.3 magnitude earthquake occurred as a supervene of the subduction of tectonic plates in the Indian Ocean. This earthquake was the third most grand on record, and sent tsunami waves 98 feet high rushing towards the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These waves devastated the coastal areas of these countries, claiming over 230,000 lives and causing untold billions of dollars in damages. It was one of the biggest humanitarian catastrophes in decades and nothing else but the biggest natural disaster in recent memory.

Unpredictable

Earthquake & Tsunami In Japan

Like many earthquakes, the Indian Ocean earthquake took the world by surprise. Even the United Nations monitoring principles designed to track tectonic movements, was unable to predict that such a grand earthquake was due to arise and, given recent trends in Japan, it is likely that mankind plainly does not possess the knowledge or technology to accurately predict when and where earthquakes will strike. Being able to predict earthquakes is an earthquake survival skill in itself, and more should be done in order to safe humanity from their disastrous effects.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the tsunamis triggered a weighty international relief effort to the affected areas. The countries that were the hardest hit are poor and did not possess the proper vehicles and infrastructure at the time to prevent unnecessary losses of life due to the effects of floods caused by the tsunami waves. The island of Aceh was the singular hardest hit area, which was the site of more than 31,000 fatalities and thousands more missing. The whole of fatalities on Aceh is disputed, however, because the government located thousands of unidentified bodies into mass graves after the waves had receded in order to avert a humanitarian emergency as a supervene of their festering and diseased flesh. Indonesia as a whole suffered over 130,000 fatalities and saw the total destruction of several towns and villages on the coastal area, development it the singular hardest-hit country.

Survival Skills

Earthquake survival skills must catalogue for more than just the earthquakes themselves. They are often most destructive when coupled with tsunamis but, as of now, there is no effective way for citizen to combat the effects of millions of tons of rushing water sweeping over land. The nations of the world need a vast reconstruction of the earthquake warning system. We plainly do not know when and where they will strike, and I feel that there needs to be as much emphasis on earthquake arresting as there is on disease prevention.

Indian Ocean 2004 Earthquake