2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
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| Date | 26 December 2004 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 00:58:53 UTC 07:58:53 WIB |
| Magnitude | 9.1–9.3 Mw |
| Depth | 30 km (19 mi) |
| Epicenter | 3°18′58″N 95°51′14″E / 3.316°N 95.854°ECoordinates: 3°18′58″N 95°51′14″E / 3.316°N 95.854°E |
| Type | Megathrust |
| Areas affected |
Indonesia Sri Lanka India Thailand Maldives Malaysia Madagascar Somalia Kenya Tanzania South Africa |
| Max. intensity | IX (Violent) |
| Tsunami | 15 to 30 metres (50 to 100 ft) with maximum runup of 51 m (167.3 ft) at Lhoknga. |
| Casualties | 230,000–280,000 dead and more missing |
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on 26 December with the epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The shock had a moment magnitude of 9.1–9.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The undersea megathrust earthquake was caused when the Indian Plate was subducted by the Burma Plate and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing 230,000–280,000 people in 14 countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 metres (100 ft) high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest-hit country, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.
It is the third-largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph and had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Its epicentre was between Simeulue and mainland Indonesia. The plight of the affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response. In all, the worldwide community donated more than US$14 billion (2004) in humanitarian aid. The event is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake. The resulting tsunami was given various names, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, South Asian tsunami, Indonesian tsunami, the Christmas tsunami and the Boxing Day tsunami.
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