By: Ashleigh LeBaron
The place I've chosen to study is Sumatra, Indonesia. In December of 2004, an enormous 9.3 earthquake erupted in the center of the Indian Ocean. A giant wave was formed, spanning across the ocean from Sumatra all the way to Africa. When the tsunami hit Sumatra, there were incredible amounts of devastation and destruction. The death toll was over the top at a horrendous 230,210 innocent men, women and children. The tsunami, that stunned the world the day after Christmas, was the greatest magnitude earthquake the world had seen in over forty years. It caused destruction in not only Sumatra, but eleven countries bordering the Indian Ocean, including the Nicobar and Andaman Islands, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, and India. Deaths estimated from those countries alone (not counting missing persons, casualties or the injured) are ranging at nearly 178,818 people who lost their lives in one day.
The reason I chose to talk about this specific subject was because I remember vaguely when it happened. I remember hearing people talk about it, but I didn’t fully understand what a tsunami was or how it happened. Then on the four year anniversary, I turned on the TV and a certain network had made an anniversary and/or memorial video for it. My mom and I sat and witnessed tourists, citizens and bystanders live footage of the event the second it happened. They took a look at the tsunami, what caused it and how it affected everything in the surrounding area. They compared before and after of Sumatra and then they compared that to now (being four years later). It was absolutely horrible and I couldn't believe my eyes. Every time I've heard or watched something about it, I am completely in awe. Still to this day I can't quite grasp what those poor, innocent people went through on that horrendous day.
The reason I chose to talk about this specific subject was because I remember vaguely when it happened. I remember hearing people talk about it, but I didn’t fully understand what a tsunami was or how it happened. Then on the four year anniversary, I turned on the TV and a certain network had made an anniversary and/or memorial video for it. My mom and I sat and witnessed tourists, citizens and bystanders live footage of the event the second it happened. They took a look at the tsunami, what caused it and how it affected everything in the surrounding area. They compared before and after of Sumatra and then they compared that to now (being four years later). It was absolutely horrible and I couldn't believe my eyes. Every time I've heard or watched something about it, I am completely in awe. Still to this day I can't quite grasp what those poor, innocent people went through on that horrendous day.
The Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at the University of California (NA) Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami. Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/hazards/events/12262004.html
Wikipedia (November 11, 2011) Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_affected_by_the_2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake#Countries_suffering_major_casualties_and_damage
Pictures from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2004-tsunami.jpg