Khao Lak also experienced the largest tsunami run-up height outside of Sumatra. Despite its proximity to the incident, Malaysia escaped the kind of damage that struck countries thousands of miles further away (most of its western coast is shielded by Sumatra). [139], Countries in the region appealed to tourists to return, pointing out that most tourist infrastructure is undamaged. Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, tsunami that hit the coasts of several countries of South and Southeast Asia in December 2004. Local video recorded that before the arrival of the tsunami, people can be seen swarming the beach to check on stranded fish from the exposed beach. [76] The tsunami heights were 56m (1620ft) and the inundated depth was about 2m (6.6ft). [57] On Maikhao Beach in north Phuket City, Thailand, a 10-year-old British tourist named Tilly Smith had studied tsunamis in geography at school and recognised the warning signs of the receding ocean and frothing bubbles. The tsunami that struck Indonesia in 2004 obliterated vast areas of Aceh province. [15] The plight of the affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response, with donations totalling more than US$14 billion. The highest death toll was in Hafun, with 19 dead and 160 people presumed missing out of its 5,000 inhabitants. She and her boyfriend were both injured but survived. Several thousand non-Asian tourists vacationing in the region also were reported dead or missing. The aftershock would be considered a major earthquake under ordinary circumstances but is dwarfed by the mainshock. The tsunami in Khao Lak was bigger due to offshore coral reefs and shallow seafloor which caused the tsunami to pile-up. [156] The announcement generated panic in the Indian Ocean region and caused thousands to flee their homes, which resulted in jammed roads. Major damage occurred in two narrow strips of land bound on the west by the Arabian Sea and on the east by the Kerala backwaters. Video footage revealed torrents of black water, surging by windows of a two-story residential area situated about 3.2 km (2.0 mi) inland. What was the magnitude of the earthquake that caused the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004? The largest run-up measured was at 12.5m (41ft) with inundation distance of 3901,500m (1,2804,920ft) in Yala. She and her boyfriend were both. The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 lasted for seven hours and reached out across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand, and as far away as East Africa. 5 Reasons to Update Your Business Operations, Get the Best Sleep Ever in 5 Simple Steps, How to Pack for Your Next Trip Somewhere Cold, Manage Your Money More Efficiently in 5 Steps, Ranking the 5 Most Spectacular NFL Stadiums in 2023. Based on scientific surveys from Ayeyarwaddy Delta through Taninthayi Division, it was revealed that tsunami heights along the Myanmar coast were between 0.42.9m (1ft 4in 9ft 6in). Uncountable wells that served communities were invaded by sea, sand, and earth; and aquifers were invaded through porous rock. Where did the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami occur? Mara Beln (born May 12, 1966) is a Spanish physician and motivational speaker, known for surviving the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami when she was on vacation in Thailand with her husband Enrique (Quique) lvarez and three sons Lucas, Simn and Toms lvarez. [87][88][89] The significant shielding of Port Blair and Campbell Bay by steep mountainous outcrops contributed to the relatively low wave heights at these locations, whereas the open terrain along the eastern coast at Malacca and Hut Bay contributed to the great height of the tsunami waves.[88][90]. Early speculation was that some of the smaller islands south-west of Sumatra, which is on the Burma Plate (the southern regions are on the Sunda Plate), might have moved south-west by up to 36m (120ft), but more accurate data released more than a month after the earthquake found the movement to be about 0.2m (8in). 26, 2004, when a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the Indonesian coast sent tidal wave speeding toward Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. As we tried to help more people in the supermarket, I heard from outside that another wave was coming. The rising sea water did not enter the shrine, but the receding waters swept away hundreds of pilgrims who were on the beach. The survey, conducted using a high-resolution, multi-beam sonar system, revealed that the earthquake had made a considerable impact on the topography of the seabed. In the hours that followed, a massive tsunami fanned out across the Indian Ocean, killing close to 230,000 people, most in Indonesia. Despite a delay of up to several hours between the earthquake and the impact of the tsunami, nearly all of the victims were taken by surprise. CA License # A-588676-HAZ / DIR Contractor Registration #1000009744 [citation needed], The hardest-hit area, Aceh, is a religiously conservative Islamic society and has had no tourism nor any Western presence in recent years due to the insurgency between the Indonesian military and Free Aceh Movement (GAM). [59] Many of the aboriginal tribes evacuated and suffered fewer casualties, however. This may affect rehabilitation work to follow. [34], The energy released on the Earth's surface (ME, which is the seismic potential for damage) by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was estimated at 1.11017 joules (110PJ; 26Mt). By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Powerful tsunamis slammed into the coasts of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Seychelles and Somalia, devastating thousands of miles of coastline - and the communities that depended on them. There's new evidence for what happened to people who survived Vesuvius Archaeologist studied tomb inscriptions and matched names to historical records. We were happy to help many people that day. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was unusually large in geographical and geological extent. [23][24], Since 1900, the only earthquakes recorded with a greater magnitude were the 1960 Valdivia earthquake (magnitude 9.5) and the 1964 Alaska earthquake in Prince William Sound (magnitude 9.2). [124], The main effect was caused by poisoning of the freshwater supplies and of the soil by saltwater infiltration and a deposit of a salt layer over arable land. All of a sudden, I felt the ship lift and swing to the left and to the right. Because the 1,600km (1,000mi) fault affected by the earthquake was in a nearly northsouth orientation, the greatest strength of the tsunami waves was in an eastwest direction. The highest tsunami wave measured was 4m (13ft) at Vilufushi Island. Moreover, the tsunami was detected by scuba divers around offshore islands like the Similan Islands and the Surin Islands. Who survived the tsunami? At Patong Beach, a popular tourist destination, the tsunami first arrived as a small flood, which swept away cars and surprised people. [55] Tsunami detection is not easy because while a tsunami is in deep water, it has little height and a network of sensors is needed to detect it. [25] However, historical earthquake strength can sometimes be estimated by examining historical descriptions of the damage caused, and the geological records of the areas where they occurred. There were no tsunami warning systems in the Indian Ocean to detect tsunamis or to warn the general population living around the ocean. Ahead of the 15th anniversary of the tragedy, BBC Thai's Chaiyot Yongcharoenchai visited southern Thailand, which was devastated by the tsunami. The oldest lvarez-Beln son studied medicine at University College in London and went on to become a doctor. In 2004, a tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed 226,000 people across the Indian Ocean, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. Tsunami survey in Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands. It didn't look like the killer wave you see in the movies. The direct results caused major disruptions to living conditions and commerce in coastal provinces of surrounded countries, including Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu (India) and Khao Lak (Thailand). [134], The impact on coastal fishing communities and the people living there, some of the poorest in the region, has been devastating with high losses of income earners as well as boats and fishing gear. How I Survived the Tsunami, 10 Meters Underwater. Many people who survived the first wave may have gone to the shore to help others or check on their property, not knowing that a tsunami can be multiple waves spaced many minutes to 1 or 2 hours apart. Women in Aceh required a special approach from foreign aid agencies, and continue to have unique needs. Results of the tsunami survey in South Andaman along Chiriyatapu, Corbyn's Cove and Wandoor beaches:[citation needed], Meanwhile, in the Little Andaman, tsunami waves impinged on the eastern shore about 25 to 30 minutes after the earthquake in a four-wave cycle of which the fourth tsunami was the most devastating with a wave height of about 10m (33ft). The Boxing Day tsunami would be the deadliest in recorded history, taking a staggering 230,000 lives in a matter of hours. The 26 December 2004 tsunami killed about 150,000 people, so yes, a tsunami can kill a lot of people. In February 2005, scientists revised the estimate of the magnitude to 9.0. Dr Weerawit Sarideepan - then-doctor at Vachira Phuket Hospital. We decided to head toward Phi Phi island as it wasn't too far and they had been badly hit. The southwestern shores are a hotspot for tourists and fishing. The flow depth at the city was just at the level of the second floor, and there were large amounts of debris piled along the streets and in the ground-floor storefronts. The rupture proceeded at about 2.8km/s (1.74mi/s; 10,100km/h; 6,260mph), beginning off the coast of Aceh and proceeding north-westerly over about 100 seconds. Troy Broadbridge, 24, Australian Football League player (Melbourne). [133] All I knew was I had to help people. The second and third destructive waves arrived later, which exceeded the height of the coconut trees. [125], In addition to other forms of aid,[127] the Australian government sent ecological experts to help develop strategies for reef-monitoring and rehabilitation of marine environments and coral reefs in the Maldives, Seychelles and other areas. Chapter 6, "Thailand", in Jayasuriya, Sisira and Peter McCawley. That's when I realised something serious had happened. An unusually high number of the victims appear to have been children, lost to epic waves that swept away the weak, the old and the young. Notable people killed in the 2004 Asian tsunami: Jane Attenborough, 49, British arts administrator, daughter of actor Richard Attenborough. From the beginning local people took care of him and then a Swedish family found him., 143 play prodigy parent login P.O. [citation needed] Presence of seawalls at the Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts reduced the impact of the waves. Credit: Courtesy. A series of huge waves triggered by an earthquake killed more than 230,000 people in 14 countries. Sathaporn Sawangpuk - captain of the Mahidol ship, We were on our way back from a month-long marine research trip in the Indian Ocean. The lack of food, clean water, and medical treatmentcombined with the enormous task faced by relief workers trying to get supplies into some remote areas where roads had been destroyed or where civil war ragedextended the list of casualties. Approximately 8,000 people were killed. Australia, India, Japan and the United States formed an ad-hoc corroborative group, and it was the origin of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. What is the tallest tsunami ever recorded? Lituya Bay, Alaska, July 9, 1958 A second team found similar evidence of previous tsunamis in Aceh, a province at the northern tip of Sumatra; radiocarbon dating of bark fragments in the soil below the second sand layer led the scientists to estimate that the most recent predecessor to the 2004 tsunami probably occurred between A.D. 1300 and 1450. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Nelson's 97th-minute stunner gives Arsenal victory. I was stationed close to Patong Hospital on a rescue truck. At that moment, everything was crazy. This considerably outweighed the allocation by the government to disaster relief and reconstruction of 75 million and came to an average of about 5.50 (US$10) donated by every citizen. The tsunami waves wreaked havoc in the densely populated Jogindar Nagar area, situated 13km (8.1mi) south of Campbell Bay. how many people survived the 2004 tsunami. So many people were running away from the water. Furthermore, at the coastal town of Kanyakumari, the seabed was exposed briefly before a large wall of water can be seen on the horizon and subsequently flooding the town. Unicef officials estimate that of the 30,000 people killed by the tsunamis in Sri Lanka, at least 10,000 were children. The deadliest-known earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China, with an estimated death toll of 830,000, though figures from this period may not be as reliable. ". As at the end of September 2006, there were 150 confirmed British dead and one highly likely to have died, giving a total of 151. [82], The tsunami run-up was only 1.6m (5.2ft) in areas in the state of Tamil Nadu shielded by the island of Sri Lanka but was 45m (1316ft) in coastal districts such as Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu directly across from Sumatra. Definition of nonohmic : not ohmic specifically, of a circuit : not having the property that a potential difference of one volt produces, What animals are extinct in 2015? Flooding occurred at the coast and low-lying areas inland, which were connected to open sea through creeks. Levels remained relatively low for some years. Did Karl ever find his family in the impossible? The sea was quite calm, the sky was so clear and blue. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Funding came from other international agencies and from countries including Finland, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. 227,8982004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami / Number of deaths. I took my friends from Bangkok out for a diving trip on that Sunday morning. Another factor is that some coasts of Taninthayi Division were protected by the Myeik Archipelago. However, when the seawalls were made of loose stones, the stones were displaced and carried a few metres inland.[79][81][85]. The sea was observed to rise suddenly before the onset of the first wave. [20] Splay faults, or secondary "pop up faults", caused long, narrow parts of the seafloor to pop up in seconds. Besides that, a 10m (33ft) black muddy tsunami ravaged the city of Karaikal, where 492 people died. [140], Both the earthquake and the tsunami may have affected shipping in the Malacca Straits, which separate Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, by changing the depth of the seabed and by disturbing navigational buoys and old shipwrecks. [97][98], Tidal surges also occurred along the Western Australian coast that lasted for several hours, resulting in boats losing their moorings and two people needing to be rescued. [151], The widespread devastation caused by the tsunami led GAM to declare a cease-fire on 28 December 2004 followed by the Indonesian government, and the two groups resumed long-stalled peace talks, which resulted in a peace agreement signed 15 August 2005. Indonesian officials estimated that the death toll there alone ultimately exceeded 200,000, particularly in northern Sumatras Aceh province. who survived the 2004 tsunami, and was also filmed in Khao Lak. The province of Phang Nga was the most affected area in Thailand. Oxfam went on to report that as many as four times more women than men were killed in some regions because they were waiting on the beach for the fishers to return and looking after their children in the houses. I went back down after the second wave retreated. [74] In Hambantota, run-ups measured 11m (36ft) with the greatest inundation distance of 2km (1.2mi). Some locations reported that the waves had reached a height of 30 feet (9 metres) or more when they hit the shoreline. About 250 people perished directly in the tsunami. [79][81][85] The tsunami varied in height from 2m (6.6ft) to 10m (33ft) based on survivors' accounts. 26, 2004, when a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the Indonesian coast sent tidal wave speeding toward Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Why were so many buildings destroyed in the 2011 Japanese earthquake? Within 23km (1.21.9mi) of the shoreline, houses, except for strongly-built reinforced concrete ones with brick walls, which seemed to have been partially damaged by the earthquake before the tsunami attack, were swept away or destroyed by the tsunami. So I closed my eyes, prayed, and prepared to die. Many people were seen being swept out . Severe damage was inflicted on ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, forests, coastal wetlands, vegetation, sand dunes and rock formations, animal and plant biodiversity and groundwater. However, between 2013 and 2014, piracy incidents rose dramatically by 73.2% to exceed pre-tsunami levels. [84] Rescue teams extricated more than 400 bodies from the sand and rocks in the vicinity and large number of unidentified bodies were buried in mass graves. Early signs and warnings. The inundation distance is about 5km (3.1mi). False tsunami alarm sparks panic in Indian Ocean region. The high fatality rate in the area was mainly due to lack of preparation of the community towards a tsunami and limited knowledge and education among the population regarding the natural phenomenon. WATCH: Are you a fan of Garden Rescue on BBC starring Charlie Dimmock? In four villages surveyed by . The magnitude 8.7 2005 NiasSimeulue earthquake, which originated off the coast of the Sumatran island of Nias, is not considered an aftershock, despite its proximity to the epicentre, and was most likely triggered by stress changes associated with the 2004 event. The India Plate meets the Burma Plate (which is considered a portion of the great Eurasian Plate) at the Sunda Trench. The second wave came 10 minutes after the first one with a maximum height of 4.8m (16ft) to 8m (26ft) and caused the major destruction. We had no idea what happened, but my instinct told me to start the ship and head out to the middle of the sea. The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 lasted for seven hours and reached out across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand, and as far away as East Africa. A massive tsunami with waves up to 30m (100ft) high, known in some countries as the Boxing Day Tsunami after the Boxing Day holiday, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries in one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. I was looking for the nearest way out but I knew I wouldn't be able to make it. [155], The tsunami left both the people and government of India in a state of heightened alert. Don't try to swim, someone will come to find you and help you.'. This quickly elevated the height and increased the speed of waves, destroying the nearby Indonesian town of Lhoknga. At 08:00, I heard my wooden bedroom windows were shaking. The first wave came five minutes after the mainshock (0629 hrs.) The tsunami reached the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu along the southeastern coastline of the Indian mainland about 2 hours after the earthquake. The waves arrived after the sea receded about 500m (1,600ft), followed by an advancing small tsunami. These volatiles rise into the overlying plate, causing partial melting and the formation of magma. Rahmat Saiful Bahri survived the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that swept over Indonesias Aceh province. Lituya Bay, Alaska, July 9, 1958 Maldives Report", "Death toll in Asian tsunami disaster tops 159,000", "Asian tsunami death toll passes 144,000", "Tsunami Evaluation Coalition: Initial Findings", "On the weak impact of the 26 December Indian Ocean tsunami on the Bangladesh coast", "The South Sandwich Islands earthquake of 27 June 1929: seismological study and inference on tsunami risk for the southern Atlantic", "YEMEN: Tsunami damage over US$1 million UNEP assessment", "Helping restore the quality of drinking water after the tsunami". All of them were speeding through and honking and they passed by the area. [19], The hypocentre of the main earthquake was approximately 160km (100mi) off the western coast of northern Sumatra, in the Indian Ocean just north of Simeulue island at a depth of 30km (19mi) below mean sea level (initially reported as 10km or 6.2mi). [42], In February 2005, the Royal Navy vessel HMSScott surveyed the seabed around the earthquake zone, which varies in depth between 1,000 and 5,000m (550 and 2,730 fathoms; 3,300 and 16,400ft). I'd been a rescue worker all my life but I'd never experienced anything that huge before. One such landslide consisted of a single block of rock some 100m (330ft) high and 2km (1.2mi) long. We decided to help only the injured survivors and we finally rescued at least 414 tourists and locals, and transferred them to a more equipped hospital on Phuket. 1958 Lituya Bay earthquake and megatsunamiTsunami / Biggest [26] Some examples of significant historical megathrust earthquakes are the 1868 Arica earthquake in Peru and the 1700 Cascadia earthquake in western North America. In Campbell Bay of Great Nicobar Island, the tsunami waves hit the area three times with an inundation limit of 250500m (8201,640ft). Boats are safer from tsunami damage while in the deep ocean ( > 100 m) rather than moored in a harbor. The Persson Cabinet was heavily criticized for its inaction. The tsunami was noticed as far as Struisbaai in South Africa, about 8,500km (5,300mi) away, where a 1.5-metre-high (5ft) tide surged on shore about 16 hours after the earthquake. It has been theorized that the tsunamis were focused and directed at long ranges by the mid-ocean ridges which run along the margins of the continental plates.[54]. 165184. Khao Lak was the coastal area of Thailand hardest hit by the tsunami resulting from the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. [93], The tsunami travelled 5,000km (3,100mi) west across the open ocean before striking the East African country of Somalia. This is unusual since earthquakes of magnitude eight or more occur only about once per year on average. Approximately 90,000 buildings and many wooden houses were destroyed.[73]. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The most damaging tsunami on record before 2004 was the one that killed an estimated 40,000 people in 1782 following an earthquake in the South China Sea. Did anyone survive the 2004 tsunami? How many U joints does a driveshaft have? What is causing the plague in Thebes and how can it be fixed? Its over 1,700-foot wave was the largest ever recorded for a tsunami. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Given that over 51,000 vessels were lost to the tsunami, the industry boomed. Waves of up to 30 metres were recorded as the tsunami swept through Aceh, the hardest hit region of Indonesia. Also Know, how did people die in the 2004 tsunami? Coasts that have a landmass between them and the tsunami's location of origin are usually safe; however, tsunami waves can sometimes diffract around such landmasses. The magnitude of the earthquake that caused the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was 9.1. Is there a better way? Survival, at this point, is a matter of luck. How many peoples survived tsunami 2004? As a result, mangrove restoration become a focus of a number of projects, with varied success. Helicopter surveys showed entire settlements virtually destroyed with destruction within miles inland, and only some mosques left standing. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. He was a painter and it was meant to be the last working day for him before a long break. When I woke up again around 10:00, I took my family out for breakfast before I received a phone call from the hospital calling me in for an emergency. On December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. In the Maldives, 16 to 17 coral reef atolls that were overcome by sea waves are without fresh water and could be rendered uninhabitable for decades. [86] At Port Blair, the water receded before the first wave, and the third wave was the tallest and caused the most damage. Should a tsunami occur and you cannot get to higher ground, stay inside where you are protected from the water. A major aftershock (magnitude 7.1) can be seen at the closest stations starting just after the 200-minute mark. The first wave came 5 minutes after the earthquake, preceded by a recession of the sea up to 600700m (2,0002,300ft). What is the deadliest tsunami ever recorded? Omissions? As the flood got closer, it started to pick up speed. Kristina Frjmark, 47, Swedish reality TV star. The Indian Plate is part of the great Indo-Australian Plate, which underlies the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, and is moving north-east at an average of 60mm/a (0.075in/Ms). What happened? Officials estimated that billions of dollars would be needed. 14", "Asia-Pacific | 'Hundreds feared dead' in Burma", "The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster: Evaluation of UNICEF's response (emergency and recovery phase). According to Oxfam, five million people were affected of which 1.7m were made homeless, half a million were injured and more than 230,000 were killed. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 2), Can bowel problems cause urinary problems? In some areas drinking water supplies and farm fields may have been contaminated for years by saltwater from the ocean. Local eyewitnesses described three large waves, with the first wave rising gently to the foundation of the buildings, followed minutes later by a sudden withdrawal of the sea near the port of Ulee Lheue. On the island of Pulau Weh, strong surges were experienced in the port of Sabang, yet there was little damage with reported runup values of 35m (9.816.4ft), most likely due to the island being sheltered from the direct attack by the islands to the south-west. . The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The environmental impact took a long time and significant resources to assess. They all said 'Let's go catch fish.' The film is called The Impossible and is based on the account of Maria Belton, a survivor of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004. Did anyone famous died in the 2004 tsunami? Local camcorder footage showed the tsunami surging inland and flooding camping equipment at the Similan Islands while the tsunami caught tourists unaware at the Surin Islands, and dragging them out towards the sea. [75] Estimates based on the state of the shoreline and a high-water mark on a nearby building place the tsunami 7.59m (2530ft) above sea level and 23m (6ft 7in 9ft 10in) higher than the top of the train. I chuckled at what I saw but it wasn't long before I realised something was wrong. The north bay of Phi Phi Don Island opens to the north-west in the direction of the tsunami. Mara Beln 2004 tsunami Tsunami inundation at Khao Lak; the resort area is in the middle . The military started to bring in containers to keep the bodies in. The first wave came rapidly landward from the south-west as a turbulent bore about 0.52.5m (1.68.2ft) high. When I arrived, I saw staff floating face down in the water that flooded the basement of the building. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Ten years after the disaster in Southeast Asia, psychologist and veteran diver Yossi Hasson recalls the event that changed his life, and discusses it in writing for the first time. Despite its proximity to the incident, Malaysia escaped the kind of damage that struck countries thousands of miles further away (most of its western coast is shielded by Sumatra). However, tourists were reluctant to do so for psychological reasons. The disaster struck during a peak holiday season. A regular passenger train operating between Maradana and Matara was derailed and overturned by the tsunami and claimed at least 1,700 lives, the largest single rail disaster death toll in history. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The two main occupations affected by the tsunami were fishing and tourism.