Facts about Tsunami of 2004

1. 06

   A lack of any tsunami early warning system in the Indian Ocean meant coastal populations had no official alert before the 2004 tsunami struck.

   Tsunami of 2004Jun 8sharedisasterinfrastructureocean
2. 05

   Sri Lanka and India, despite being thousands of kilometers from the epicenter, suffered massive casualties in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

   Tsunami of 2004Jun 6sharedisastergeographyocean
3. 04

   Aceh province in Indonesia suffered the greatest losses in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, as it was closest to the earthquake's epicenter.

   Tsunami of 2004Jun 6sharedisastergeographyocean
4. 03

   Waves generated by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami traveled as fast as a commercial jet aircraft across the open ocean, reaching speeds of around 800 kilometers per hour.

   Tsunami of 2004Jun 6sharedisasteroceanographyphysics
5. 02

   Approximately 227,000 people across 14 countries were killed by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

   Tsunami of 2004Jun 6sharedisastergeographymortality
6. 01

   The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was triggered by a massive undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004.

   Tsunami of 2004Jun 6sharedisastergeologyocean