Earth and Environment Atlas

How The Planet Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Phenomena

2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami

Seismology

One of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history: an undersea megathrust earthquake off Sumatra on December 26, 2004, that sent tsunami waves across the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in fourteen countries. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Event Date
2004-12-26 1
Magnitude or Scale
Moment magnitude 9.2 to 9.3, per recent studies 1
Death Toll
Approximately 227,898 dead across the Indian Ocean region 1
Location
Off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, on the Sunda megathrust 1
Connections

Associated With

Tsunami, Phenomena

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami is one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

Caused By

Subduction, Processes

A megathrust rupture on the Sunda subduction zone, where the Indian Plate is subducting beneath the Burma microplate.

Source 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (Wikipedia)

In Discipline

Seismology, Disciplines
Source 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Indonesia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph of the cited Wikipedia article
Quote, Lead paragraph of the cited Wikipedia article
On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a Mw 9.2–9.3 earthquake struck with its epicenter off the west coast of Aceh, in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
Sources
1. 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a Mw 9.2-9.3 earthquake struck with its epicenter off the west coast of Aceh, in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
  • In Group: Great Historical Earthquakes, Lead sentence
    On 26 December 2004, at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7), a Mw 9.2-9.3 earthquake struck with its epicenter off the west coast of Aceh, in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
View the Source
Wikidata: 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
Wikidata Q130754, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.