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Great Earthquake
and Tsunami of 26 December 2004 At 00:58:53 UTC on 26 December 2004, a great earthquake with preliminary moment magnitude (Mw) = 9.0 occurred at a depth of 30 km offshore of the northeast coast of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. The immediate regional effects of this devastating earthquake were compounded by generation of tsunamis (seismic sea waves). These tsunamis inundated coastal areas throughout the Indian Ocean basin resulting in enormous casualties in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, and the Seychelles. In that some of these areas were being visited by great numbers of tourists on holiday from many nations , the effects of these tsunamis were truly felt worldwide. The following pages and other electronic resources were created in an effort to provide educators and students a concise yet accurate depiction of this extraordinary catastrophe - the largest earthquake in 40 years and most devastating tsunami in recorded history. While the focus of these pages is on the science and understanding of tsunamis, educators and students using these pages should, first and foremost, be cognizant of the unprecedented global scale of this calamity. Worldwide relief efforts are still being assembled as all nations attempt to provide comfort and aid to tsunami and earthquake survivors while also accounting for those many who perished. Individuals interested in contributing to tsunami relief efforts are encouraged to contact reputable humanitarian agencies. Links to tsunami aid groups: compiled and provided by CNN.com CONTENTS
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