Lecture Notes: The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Key Events and Characters

December 2004 Vacationers in Thailand

• Christian Patureau (35 years old) lands on Koh Phi Phi on Dec 23 with friends.
• Stays in a room with a view of the mountain - describes an idyllic, carefree time.

Bruno Lartigue and Family

• Arrives Dec 25, 2004, on the island of Phuket.
• Stay in a secluded hotel atop a cliff with a sweeping view of the sea.
• Hotel location eventually saves them from the tsunami.

Surf Enthusiasts in Sri Lanka

• Friends David, Guillaume, and Fabien start a surf school on Dec 25, 2004.
• Anne Escola and her family arrived with two children for a surfing vacation.

The Disaster Unfolds

Earthquake and Tsunami Formation

• December 26, 2004: A 9.2 magnitude earthquake strikes off Indonesia's coast.
• One of history’s most powerful earthquakes.
• The clash of tectonic plates releases enormous energy equal to 12,000 Hiroshima bombs.
• Tsunami waves travel at 800 km/h towards Thailand, Sri Lanka, and beyond.

Impact on Indonesia (Banda Aceh)

• City in ruins minutes after the earthquake.
• Waves obliterate structures and reach up to 5 km inland.
• Significant casualties estimated around 100,000.
• Most residents taken by surprise as they believed the worst was over after the quake.

Arrival in Thailand and Sri Lanka

• Koh Phi Phi Island: Early reactions include observing sea retreat.
  • Elephants sensed danger and behaved unusually.
• Phuket: 10 minutes before the tsunami, unusual sea activity noted.
  • Divers experienced strong underwater currents.

Survivors' Accounts

Phuket Island

• Charlotte and Grant: Struggled against the flood within their hotel room.
• Tourists filmed the disaster, some managed to seek higher ground/hang onto structures.

Koh Phi Phi Island

• Philippe Polakowski: Experienced the impact and immediately took action to save others.
  • Narrow escapes, assisting with emergency medical situations.
• Christian Patureau: Became a field medic, patched wounds with improvised materials.
• Jean-Louis Caccomo and family: Survived by running to high ground.

Kao Lak

• Thousands of French tourists impacted.
• Géraldine Tessier and her husband: Initially unaware, avoided disaster by going to town.
• The areas with the seabed’s unique topography intensified the impact.

Long-term Effects and Rebuilding Efforts

Survivor Guilt and Trauma

• Survivors like Charlotte struggle with ongoing psychological trauma, guilt.

Community and Solidarity

• Rebuilding efforts by survivors (e.g., Anne Escola and family)
• Continued visits and contributions to rebuild local communities.
• Yannick: Opened a surf school, involved in rehabilitation efforts.

Lessons and Preparedness

• Establishment of a tsunami alert center in the Indian Ocean.
• Tsunami warning signs now posted along Thailand’s beaches.

Statistics and Aftermath

• Death toll:
  • Sri Lanka: 40,000
  • Thailand: 8,000
  • India: 16,000
  • Total: 230,000
• The tsunami hit distant shores in Kenya and Somalia 6 hours after the initial quake.