The most destructive Tsunamis | Sumatra, Indonesia 2004 Tsunami Sumatra 2004, Andaman Indonesia 2004 Sumatra–Andaman Earthquake and Tsunami Image: 2004 Banda AcehTsunami aerial photo Aerial photo showing flattened houses in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, January 16, 2005, three weeks after a deadly tsunami devastated the island. While Japan may have the longest recorded history of tsunamis, the sheer destruction caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami event mark it as the most devastating of its kind in modern times. Video: 2004 Boing Day Tsunami The earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 7:59 am local time on Sunday, 26 December 2004. It was caused by subduction with an epicentre off the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the “Sumatra–Andaman earthquake”. The resulting tsunami is given various names, including the “Boxing Day tsunami”.

With a magnitude of Mw 9.1–9.3, it is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. The earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs. Image: 2004 Sumatra – Tsunami Wave The December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake that is thought to have had the energy of 23,000 atomic bombs. Within hours of the earthquake, killer waves radiating from the epicentre slammed into the coastline of 11 Indian Ocean countries, damaging countries from east Africa to Thailand, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (98 ft) high.

It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest-hit country, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. Image: 2004 Sumatra – Woman in a tsunami-damaged village in Tamil Nadu, India . Woman in a tsunami-damaged village in Tamil Nadu, India, waving for assistance from a hovering helicopter, Dec. 31, 2004. Despite a lag of up to several hours between the earthquake and the impact of the tsunami, nearly all of the victims were taken completely by surprise because there were no tsunami warning systems in the Indian Ocean to detect tsunamis or to warn the general populace living around the ocean. Video: 2004 Tsunami on the coast of Thailand : The Sea has retreated. Image: 2004 Sumatra – Tourists try to rush to safety before the tsunami hit the Hat Ari Lay Beach Why was the Sumatra tsunami so devastating? The Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake on December 26, 2004, happened in an area with high population densities along the coasts where it struck with maximal force (see red colours in the simulated image below). Yet some areas were more so affected than others.

Image: 2004 Sumatra – Wave Amplitude Chart The worst affected areas had two things in common: they have neither experienced hurricanes nor tides. Thus people lived dangerously close to the water and often on ships that would not be seaworthy in areas where tropical cyclones are common. But from scientific observations we know today that tides and hurricanes are able to modify the coast in ways that may reduce tsunami damage. Combined with waves, and particularly those from storms, tides can erode the shoreline out, until a shore profile results that resists tsunamis. On such coasts, a tsunami won't be able to run inland as far as it did in Aceh, the region located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, where approximately 170,000 Indonesians were killed or went missing in the disaster, and approximately 500,000 were left homeless. That is also the reason why the March 2011 tsunami in Japan caused predictably much damage where the coast had never experienced either substantial tides or storms. Image: The aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami in Aceh, Indon .

Video: Tsuanmi 2004 Indonesia A 2004 Tsunami survivor story IT WAS BOXING DAY 2004 and Mrs Rinaldiana was walking near her home in Banda Aceh, Sumatra. "Suddenly, I saw the buildings move, shaken hard," she said. People running from the shore shouted that the sea was rising. Mrs Rinaldiana and her family sought shelter in a crowded two-storey house, but it was soon destroyed. "My daughter was hit by the collapsed house, and then…she was…gone," she told Professor Walter Dudley of the University of Hawaii. Mrs Rinaldiana was knocked unconscious. When she came to, the wave was carrying her and she was surrounded by debris. "I thought this was hell. I thought it was the end of the world," she said. Image: 2004 Tsunami Indonesia - A young man floating in the raging water Image: Satellite image of Banda Aceh, Indon, showing the devastation caused by the tsunami of December 2004.

Video: How the Simeulue islanders survived the 2004 Tsunami 2004 Tsunami (Banda Aceh Tsunami): full documentary Video: 2004 Tsunami Documentary Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami, 26 December 2004 | NCEI Tsunamis Earthquakes Volcanoes Estimated first-arrival travel time in hours for the Dec. 26 2004 Sumatra, Indonesia tsunami event based on an earthquake rupture zone simulated with point sources. More: tsunami travel time (TTT) . It does not provide information on the height nor the strength of the wave, only the arrival times Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami, 26 December 2004 On 26 December 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake (3.316 N, 95.854 E, depth 30 km) occurred off the coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The tsunami generated by the earthquake was recorded nearly world-wide and killed more people than any other tsunami in recorded history, almost 230,000 missing and presumed dead.

The estimated material losses are $10 billion and insured losses are $2 billion. This is the third largest earthquake in the world since 1900 and is the largest since the 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska earthquake. The earthquake caused severe damage and casualties in northern Sumatra, Indonesia and in the Nicobar Islands, India... more Field Survey of Northern Sumatra and Banda Aceh, Indonesia after the Tsunami and Earthquake of 26 December 2004 | Seismological Research Letters Open access policy You have accessRestricted access Field Survey of Northern Sumatra and Banda Aceh, Indonesia after the Tsunami and Earthquake of 26 December 2004 Jose C. Borrero DOI: 10.1785/gssrl.76.3.312 Published on May 2005, First Published on May 01, 2005 Jose C.

Borrero © 2005 by the Seismological Society of America INTRODUCTION On Sunday, 26 December 2004, at 00:58 UTC (07:58 local at the epicenter), a great earthquake occurred 250 km south-west of Banda Aceh in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. With a moment magnitude of 9.0 or possibly greater ( Stein and Okal, 2005 ), it was one of the largest instrumentally recorded earthquakes in history. The earthquake generated a large tsunami that caused extreme inundation and destruction along the northern and western coasts of Sumatra, as seen in the cities of Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. Within hours the tsunami devastated the distant shores of Thailand to the east as well as those of Sri Lanka, India, and the Maldives to the west. The tsunami also caused deaths and destruction in Somalia and other nations of east Africa and was recorded on tidal stations throughout the oceans of the world. Download powerpoint Figure 1. Location map showing survey sites. A representative value for the maximum wave height or run-up at each location is given.

The rapid response of an International Tsunami Survey Team (ITST) to the Banda Aceh, Sumatra region after the 26 December 2004 earthquake and tsunami led to the recovery of important data on the characteristics of the tsunami inundation. These data are used in conjunction with satellite imagery obtained before and shortly after the earthquake to describe the effects of the tsunami and earthquake in terms of run-up height, inundation distance, flow depth, levels of structural damage, shoreline erosion, and earthquake-related subsidence. Field data collected in Banda Aceh and nearby areas include profiles to determine run-up heights, GPS-located photographs of flow depth marks, and traces indicating flow direction. Additional information on wave arrival and behavior was collected through interviews with witnesses and survivors and from video taken during the tsunami attack. POST-TSUNAMI FIELD SURVEYS As a member of the International Tsunami Survey Team (ITST), I entered the Aceh region of Sumatra on 3 January 2005 and conducted a survey of select points along the northeast coast of Sumatra as well as a detailed survey of the city of Banda Aceh and the nearby locations of Lhoknga and Kreung Raya.

Additional locations along the inaccessible regions of the west coast of Sumatra were photographed from the air, and one location at Lhokkruet was surveyed ( Figure 1 ). Field Methods The goals of the ITST were to document inundation, the horizontal extent of water penetration, and run-up, the maximum vertical elevation of the land flooded, and to collect information on the human impact of the tsunami. A variety of standard tsunami field survey techniques (e.g., Tsuji et al., 1995 ; Okal et al., 2002 ) were used, including: Observing and recording water height and inundation indicators such as debris, water marks on buildings, elevation of damage such as broken windows and stripped roof tiles, and debris and sand deposited on stairs, upper floors, and roofs. Interviewing eyewitnesses. It is easy to misinterpret debris and strand lines unless they are corroborated as a tsunami deposit by eyewitnesses. Surveying profiles, using optical equipment, across beaches from the water line to the maximum inland extent of inundation. Interviewing government officials and aid workers and collecting reports, maps, photographs, and other materials pertinent to the tsunami.

FIELD OBSERVATIONS The field data collected and locations mentioned are listed in Tables 1 and 2 and shown in Figure 1 . All run-up data are given relative to the tide level at the time of the earthquake ( Tsuji et al., 2005b ), while flow depth measurements are relative to the ground at that location. Coseismic uplift or subsidence are not taken into account. The tsunami was severe in its destruction at the two sites surveyed along the east coast, while the effects in Banda Aceh and along the west coast can best be described as extreme. View this table: Measured Flow Depths and Directions View this table: Measured Run-up East Coast, Medan to Banda Aceh The earthquake was widely felt throughout northern Sumatra. It was described as a long-lasting, gentle rocking in Medan that did not cause damage. Farther north at Idi, residents reported feeling earthquake shaking for 10 minutes. Witnesses reported seeing the ocean recede more than 500 m about 1½ hours after the earthquake. The tsunami came in as two waves, with the larger wave second.

A cross-shore profile of the inundation zone shows an inundation distance of more than 500 m inland and a maximum water height of 2.5 m above sea level ( Figure 2 , upper panel). One can infer an upper limit on the wave height at the shoreline from the observation that tanks at a prawn hatchery were not over-topped. Wood construction at the shoreline was destroyed, while reinforced concrete construction generally survived. There were no fatalities. The local residents said locally stationed Navy personnel warned them that a tsunami was coming, but they also reported that many ignored the warning. Continuing north along the coast, we observed the damage at Panteraja. Residents stated the shaking lasted for approximately 10 minutes. The shaking was severe in this area: Residents reported not being able to walk or even squat during the shaking, that they were knocked to the ground. This corresponds to a Modified Mercalli Intensity of VI-VII. They also describe two shaking episodes, the first with a horizontal east-west-oriented back and forth motion and the second feeling more “up and down.” Earthquake damage to structures in the area was reported to be minor. The tsunami effects were more severe here than at Idi.

The tsunami attack began with an initial withdrawal about 30 minutes after the earthquake. Local residents reported three waves, with the third being the largest. The wave penetrated up to 1 km inland and attained a height of 4.2 to 4.7 m above sea level at the time of the tsunami ( Figure 2 , lower panel). Banda Aceh Banda Aceh lies on a river delta created as the Aceh River flows into the Andaman Sea. The river has two large branches, one running through the center of town and the other 15 km to the east. The central area of Banda Aceh, which lies along the main fork of the Aceh River, was separated from the open sea by nearly 2 km of low-lying wetlands, probably used for aquaculture. Only on the sand spit of Uleelheule had significant structures been built on the shoreline ( Figure 3 ). Banda Aceh was strongly affected by the earthquake, with several collapsed buildings and evidence of structural damage in large reinforced concrete structures.

One resident reported being unable to stand during the shaking, that cracks opened up in the ground, and that there was significant building damage throughout the city, corresponding to an MMI of VII-IX (see Martin, 2005 (this issue), for more discussion of shaking effects). This witness, who was in the center of town near the Grand Mosque, described being able to close his shop after the earthquake and travel to another shop he owned closer to the ocean. He then traveled back to his house before returning to the original storefront. By the time he reached his store, the water was into the center of Banda Aceh. From this route he estimates it was 25 minutes from the time of the earthquake until the water reached the area near the Grand Mosque at the center of Banda Aceh ( Figure 3 ). The inundation line was observed to lie between 3 and 4 km inland throughout the city. Flow depths over the ground were observed to be more than 9 m in the seaside section of Uleelheule and tapered landward. The level of destruction was observed to be more extreme on the northwestern flank of the city in the areas immediately inland of the aquaculture ponds.

The area toward the sea was wiped clean of nearly every structure, while closer to the river dense construction in a commercial district showed the effects of severe flooding. The flow depth was just at the level of the second floor, and large amounts of debris were piled along the streets and into the ground floor storefronts. A survivor of the tsunami from Uleelheule described three waves, with the first wave rising only to the foundation of the buildings. This was followed by a large withdrawal of the sea before the second and third waves hit. Kreung Raya The port and oil transfer facility of Kreung Raya is 45 km east of Banda Aceh. The earthquake was felt very strongly at this location but did not cause severe damage to structures. The oil storage tanks at the facility appeared to be in good condition, with the exception of one tank that was moved off its foundation. It is not clear, however, if that was from ground shaking or wave impact. The extent of inundation was on the order of 1 km, and flow depths were observed to be 5 m throughout the inundation zone. Download powerpoint Figure 4. Photograph of the beach at Lhoknga.

Note the barge, the freighter, and the trim line. The photo was shot from the edge of the trim line at 20-25 m elevation. Workers at the facility reported that a tanker was offloading oil at the time of the earthquake and said the captain was killed after he leapt off the bridge of the ship into the water. The crew apparently managed to retain control of the ship and move it offshore. On a steeper section of coastline between Banda Aceh and Kreung Raya, a clear inundation line and run-up mark were identified and measured at 8 m. Lhoknga The most severe tsunami effects were observed to the west of Banda Aceh on the coastline that faces toward open Indian Ocean and the epicenter of the earthquake. On the beach at Lhoknga ( Figure 1 ), stripped bark on trees indicated a sustained flow depth of more than 13 m at the shoreline. A mining facility at the south end of the beach was severely damaged by the tsunami. Two large ships were affected by the tsunami. A 90-m coal barge was deposited more than 160 m from shore on the beach at the base of a hill with its tugboat still attached.

At the jetty in front of the mining facility, a 100-m freighter was capsized at its moorings ( Figure 4 ). A clearly defined trim line was visible all along a steep hill that backed the beach 300 m from the shoreline. The height of this trim line was visually estimated to be between 20 and 25 m high, but it was not measured precisely in the field during this survey. West Coast Helicopter Photographs taken during a helicopter flight along the west coast of Sumatra to the south of Lhoknga clearly show the extent of tsunami inundation. GPS fixes taken over the inland extent of inundation and a comparison with digital elevation data suggest inundation distances of up to 5 km. Photographs were correlated with GPS locations. At Lhokkruet, flow depth measurements suggest a minimum flow depth between 8 and 9 m. The fact that this is a flow depth value near shore and a minimum value at that must be stressed. The actual run-up could have been and probably was higher. Researchers who reached select locations further south report larger total run-up values (Gelfenbaum, personal communication).

Figure 5 shows a typical view along the northwestern coast of Sumatra. Aceh – Travel guide at Wikivoyage Regions[ edit ] The province of Aceh is located in the northwest of Sumatra, with an area of approximately 57,365 km2, or 12.26% of the size of the island. It includes 119 islands, 73 major rivers and 2 lakes. Aceh is surrounded by the Straits of Malacca in the north, North Sumatra Province in the east and the Indian Ocean in the south and the west. The capital of Aceh is Banda Aceh . Aceh was long known for its desire for political independence from Indonesia. A devastating tsunami struck the area on 26 December 2004. The tremendous loss of life also influenced the thinking of political figures of the province, and the Aceh Government became more open to peace talks. The 29 year long struggle for special control (autonomy or independence) subsequently ended with the Helsinki Peace Agreement which was signed on 15 August 2005, and the decision to remain a province of Indonesia.

In return for dropping their demands for independence, the Indonesian government agreed to give the Aceh provincial government greater autonomy in their internal affairs. Since then, the peace process has been quite smooth, without major incidents.The "AAM" (Aceh Monitoring Mission) funded by the EU oversaw the process. There are a number of major towns, among them: Banda Aceh (capital), Lhokseumawe , Meulaboh , Sigli, and Calang. Also the island of Sabang (an hour ferry ride from Banda Aceh ), considered a diver's and snorkeler's paradise, belongs to the province. Understand[ edit ] For many years, travel in this part of Indonesia was restricted by the government, due to a long war between the Indonesian Army and an Acehnese separatist guerrilla force known as the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka or GAM in short).

More recently, on 26 December 2004, the coastal areas were devastated by a huge earthquake triggering a tsunami, which is estimated to have killed up over 160,000 people in Aceh, completely devastated coastal infrastructure (including the capital city of Banda Aceh ), and made over 500,000 people homeless. However, the devastation in the wake of the tsunami led both the Indonesian government and the GAM to declare a ceasefire in order to provide aid to the victims, setting the stage for peace talks to take place. A peace agreement was eventually signed in Helsinki on 15 August 2005 between the Indonesian government and GAM, in which the GAM agreed to give up their struggle for independence in exchange for more autonomy being given to the provincial government in managing its internal affairs, including the right to enact Sharia law. Since then, the Indonesian government, in cooperation with the European Union, has been working with the local militia to disarm the former guerrilla fighters, with great success. After the tsunami, the UN and numerous international aid agencies moved in, in a quest to reconstruct the area.

The largest portion of Leuser National Park is in Aceh Province, and provides habitat for many endangered species, including the Sumatran Tiger and forest Rhinoceros. Aceh is a province, but in fact is a state which has own strict sharia law, which is stricter than in any other part of Southeast Asia , including Brunei Darussalam . In 2014, some ulemas spray painted the legs of women who wore tight jeans and trousers, because they felt that the sharia police were ineffective (some pictures can be seen in Facebook). So far no sharia laws have been enforced upon tourists, and non-Muslims are officially exempted from having to follow sharia laws, but to avoid unpleasantness for both parties, women should be modest in their clothing and behaviour. Conservative dress is expected, and this means no leggings, semi-stretch jeans, shorts, tight or translucent oblong or t-shirts, but headscarves are not required for non-Muslims. One-piece conservative swimsuits, but not bikinis, are acceptable at some hotel swimming pools. Aceh is a big province of almost 60,000 kilometers square.

Although Aceh officially uses sharia law, some regencies such as Gayo Lues Regency do not fully support this. They are mostly Muslims, but don't want sharia to be implemented too hard. Some other regencies want to separate from Aceh, but the central government has not given any response to their requests. However, visitors should operate on the basis that Aceh is under sharia law, especially in the northern and eastern coastal regencies. On Friday, some vendors totally close or are open until 11:30 and either open again at 14:30 or stay closed until Saturday morning. Fishermen do not go to the sea and people don't swim on the beach on Friday, so if you want to swim on Friday, make sure beforehand that you won't cause offense. Talk[ edit ] Bahasa Indonesia is spoken but sometimes you will hear Bahasa Aceh (Acehnese), Bahasa Gayo (Gayonese), and other more minor languages. By plane[ edit ] Main terminal building of Banda Aceh's airport. The main airport of Aceh is Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport ( IATA : BTJ) near Banda Aceh .

There are international flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport by AirAsia , and from Penang by Firefly . Domestically, there are frequent flights from Jakarta 's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air, as well as from Jakarta's Halim Airport by Batik Air. Other domestic destinations include Medan , Bengkulu , and Batam . Thereare various smaller airports across the province, with most of them only having scheduled flights from Medan , operated by Garuda Indonesia and/or Wings Air. By bus[ edit ] The road from Medan to Banda Aceh are now reasonable. Especially the express night buses from Medan 10 hours,200 000 IDR are a good deal. Non express day and night buses are cheaper (150 000 IDR) and take longer 12-14 hours. By boat[ edit ] The ferry from Penang has stopped running. Instead, take the ferry to Medan and continue from there. Get around[ edit ] There is no need for travel permits anymore in Aceh. Taxis, rental cars and motor taxis are available in Banda Aceh.

Sleep[ edit ] There are many hotels and also other types of accommodation available in Banda Aceh and the surrounding area. There are many cheap guest houses in the popular local beachside areas of Lhoknga and Lampuuk, there are a range of very affordable guest houses which cater mostly to international tourists, particularly surfers and adventurers. See[ edit ] Aceh is rich in events, attractions and unique cultures that will fascinate anyone. Aceh is also rich in natural beauty, waves and sea gardens which are suitable for diving. However, some of the most beautiful Aceh tourism and historical sites and beaches were damaged by the massive earthquake and the tsunami in 2004.

Highlights: The Baiturrahman Great Mosque, Aceh State Museum, The Graves of Sultan Iskandar Muda and of Teungku Syiah Kuala, Salahuddin Graveyard in Bitay (Turkey village), Ujong Batee and Lampuuk Beaches, Tjut Nyak Dien Museum, Rubiah Sea Garden, Simpang Balik Hot Water Pool, Linge Isaq Hunting Area, Leuser National Park, Cakra Donya Bell, remains of the Samudra Pasai Kingdom and Teungku Chik Di Tiro Heros Cemetery. Itineraries[ edit ] Nature and outdoor lovers who arrive in Medan can travel from Medan to the jungle resort of Bukit Lawang and from there, go to the more remote Tangkahan. From Tangkahan, you can travel to the mysterious Danau Laut Tawar near Takengon were you can hike and climb some spectacular volcanoes. From Takengon you can travel to Banda Aceh. There you can visit some great beaches and go mountain biking and hiking. Banda Aceh is also the place to get a ferry to Sabang or Pulau Weh where you can dive and snorkel.

Do[ edit ] There is fantastic diving on Pulau Weh (called "Sabang" by the locals, the name of the city on the island). If you're certified, expect to pay €25 for your first dive, €20 for every dive afterward. Aceh is also great for hiking and mountain biking and bicycling. Surfing is great at Lhok'nga beach where you can also rent boards and do surfing courses. Also in nearby Lampuuk (3 km NE of Lhok'nga) a variety of beachside and mountain recreational attractions and activities is developing very rapidly. Many restaurants and fresh seafood stalls have been established since 2008, with some of the restaurants providing very affordable accommodation, some with panoramic views of the mountains, beaches and seaside area. Eat[ edit ] Arab, Persian, and Indian traders influenced food in Aceh although flavours have changed to a point where they are no longer similar to their original form. Amongst these are curry dishes known as kare or gulai, which are rich, coconut-based dishes traditionally made with beef, goat, fish or poultry, but are now also made with tofu, vegetables, and jackfruit.

Popular Acehnese food includes roti cane and mie Aceh. New restaurants and seafood stalls are popping up all the time in the local Lhoknga and lampuuk seaside areas of Banda Aceh as the local economy develops. 2 or 3 days before fasting month to 2 or 3 days after fasting months you will still find difficulty in getting food in day time, and visit in this time is discouraged. Stay safe[ edit ] The insurgency may be officially over, but Aceh remains a somewhat unsettled place, with a rate of violent crime — partly political, partly not — exceeding most of the rest of the archipelago. In 2009, a German Red Cross worker was shot in broad daylight in Banda Aceh . In 2014, situation is relatively safe, no more foreign tourists as a target, except some rare pure criminal. Homosexuality is illegal for Muslims in Aceh, and while non-Muslims are officially exempt from this law, same-sex couples are advised to be discreet to avoid offending local sensibilities. Go next[ edit ] To the South: Take a flight from Banda Aceh to Medan, if you are in a rush.

You can also use the bus, but there are no special views along the trip. From Medan, you can spend one day in Brastagi or you can spare more time, if you want one day to hike to or climb Sibayak Mountain and one day more to hike to or climb Sinabung Mountain. Neither of these mountains is too difficult to hike, if you are fit, but you need a guide to avoid getting lost. Spare two days in Lake Toba , even if you are not going anywhere around the lake. This region travel guide to Aceh is an outline and may need more content. It has a template , but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow !

NAE Website - Effects of the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami in Aceh Province Effects of the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami in Aceh Province Engineering for the Threat of Natural Disasters release dateSpring 2007 Author: Lloyd S. Cluff This eyewitness assessment of damage from the earthquake and tsunami yields lessons for engineers. On December 26, 2004, at 07:58:50 local time, a powerful earthquake, moment magnitude (MW) 9.2, occurred in the Indian Ocean. The Sumatra-Andaman earthquake was one of the three largest earthquakes ever recorded. The fault rupture propagated 1,300 to 1,600 kilometers northwest for about 10 minutes along the boundary between the Indo-Australian plate and the Eurasian plate, from northwestern Sumatra to the Nicobar Islands and to the Andaman Islands. The hypocenter, the point where the fault rupture origin-ated, was 10 kilometers deep.

The faulting spread updip and downdip from 18 to 25 meters on a low-angle thrust fault plane dipping about 10 degrees northeast. The Indo-Australian plate moved northeast relative to the Eurasian plate. Several excellent papers have been written on the tectonics of the earthquake (e.g., Lay et al., 2005), and the seismological, geologic, and geodetic aspects have been comprehensively described by Kanamori (2006) and Hudnut (2006). The resulting tsunami affected 12 nations around the Indian Ocean, with Indonesia suffering the greatest damage. In Aceh, the northern province of Sumatra, the United Nations (UN) Field Office reported approximately 131,000 people confirmed dead and 37,000 missing. With more than 80,000 houses sustaining major damage or collapse, the UN estimated that more than 500,000 people were displaced from their homes in Sumatra alone. In addition to the massive damage to housing, utilities, roads, and bridges, the disaster significantly disrupted the social fabric and government of the affected communities.

Shaking Damage The epicenter of the earthquake was about 250 kilometers off the west coast of Aceh Province. Strong to violent shaking in Aceh Province reportedly lasted five to six minutes. Banda Aceh was the only major city that experienced earthquake-shaking damage. One- to two-story, traditional, concrete-frame and wood-frame buildings survived well and were largely undamaged by the strong ground shaking. However, because the earthquake occurred a significant distance offshore, the resulting long-period ground motions caused serious damage to, or the collapse of, buildings more than three stories high. Fault Deformation A compounding problem was tectonic subsidence resulting in 20 to 100 centimeters of down-warping of the Earth’s crust beneath the Aceh region. The subsidence extends for at least 280 kilometers along the entire northwestern Aceh coast (Figure 1—see PDF version for figures). This submergence thwarted rescue efforts and has hindered the restoration of roads, bridges, and utility distribution systems. Tsunami Damage The fault rupture uplifted the ocean floor, releasing the most destructive series of tsunami waves in recorded history.

The waves spread throughout the Indian Ocean, causing damage in the coastal communities of 12 countries. By far, the most damaging effects were sustained by Aceh Province, where three devastating waves struck the western shore within about 30 minutes. The tsunami waves ranged from 4 to 39 meters high and destroyed more than 250 coastal communities. In the low-lying areas of western coastal Sumatra, including the city of Banda Aceh, the tsunami waves extended inland as far as 5 kilometers, affecting a large portion of the population of 300,000. The western part of the city has nearly flat topography traversed by rivers and drainage channels. In these areas, the maximum wave-flow height was 4 to 8 meters. In hilly areas south of Banda Aceh, the wave-flow height was significantly greater, due to the topography. Residential neighborhoods and fishing villages in coastal areas were entirely devastated, and houses were swept inland or out to sea. The traditional construction that had resisted shaking damage could not resist the tsunami forces and most were obliterated. Figure 2 shows what was left of most houses—mostly the concrete floor slabs.

The tsunami waves left extensive piles of timber and the remains of buildings. Most well designed and well constructed buildings and industrial facilities that had withstood the earthquake shaking also withstood the tsunami waves and suffered only minor damage. For example, the La Farge Cement Plant (Figure 3), a well designed and well constructed steel-frame series of industrial structures about 20 kilometers southwest of Banda Aceh, did not experience structural damage from the strong shaking and was not damaged by the tsunami waves, which, as documented by stadia-rod, reached a wave-flow height of 38.9 meters nearby. Several one- and two-story administrative buildings and machine shops were smashed by waves carrying nearly empty large oil-storage tanks. The impact of the waves caused non-structural damage to some of the buildings. For example, metal siding was stripped from the steel-frame buildings up to the height of the waves (Figure 4). Figure 5 shows a typical mosque south of Banda Aceh, which was impacted by 5-meter-high tsunami waves. Inspection revealed that the quality of construction and of the concrete in most mosques was excellent.

Most have steel-reinforced concrete frames as load-resisting systems, along with domes and open arches that allowed tsunami waves to traverse the space without causing serious damage. The low-lying topography of Banda Aceh and surrounding areas and the height of the water resulted in debris being swept in and out by the three successive destructive tsunami waves. This caused large, heavy projectiles, such as cars, trucks, and fishing boats, to be swept in and out, each time impacting previ-ously undamaged facilities. Many small buildings were structurally damaged by tsunami waves carrying floating debris. A large number of fishing boats were docked at the coastal and river locations that traverse the city. Fishing boats were torn from their moorings and cast inland during the tsunami. One boat that was permanently docked on the second story of a house (Figure 6) saved 52 people, who were able to climb through the roof-hatch and take shelter there; inside, they found a stranded security person in the captain’s quarters. Electric Power Most well designed and well constructed electric power plants in Aceh Province did not experience structural damage from the earthquake or tsunami. The electric generating facilities experienced light damage to the generating capacity and no damage to the transmission network.

However, there was substantial damage to the distribution network in the affected area. Most above-ground distribution systems were seriously damaged or destroyed by the tsunami. Damage to the power supply was concentrated in western Aceh Province, along low-lying areas in Banda Aceh and toward the south along the west coast to just beyond Meulaboh. The main damage was to the power distribution networks (small substations and hollow-core distribution poles). About 170,000 customers were affected by loss of power in Banda Aceh and along the low-lying coastal plain to Meulaboh. Indonesia’s public electric supply is provided by PT PLN, the state-owned electric company. Banda Aceh’s electric power comes from the Aceh regional electric grid and, in central Banda Aceh, the Luengbata diesel-generation plant (50-megawatt, 11 units), which reported damage only to some generation transformers. An 11-megawatt diesel-generating station, mounted on a barge offshore, was swept inland more than 3 kilo-meters from the harbor in Banda Aceh by tsunami wave action.

Although the power plant was undamaged, it left a path of destruction of houses and commercial buildings as it charged inland. PT PLN plant operators informed us that neither the intense shaking nor the 3 kilometer transport of the barge-station was the reason the plant was not operating; the main problem was lack of demand. PT PLN reported that electric power was restored to most emergency-response customers in Banda Aceh within three days and to the remaining customers within about two weeks. PT PLN reported that the electric system generally was not affected by earthquake shaking, except for the newly built headquarters building, which was more than three stories high and had to be abandoned. The tsunami did not affect the 150-kV substation or the inland diesel-generating power stations. A small (1 megawatt) diesel-powered plant was destroyed at Calang, directly on the coast about halfway between Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. The Meulaboh Lamno diesel plant did not experience significant damage. The 150-kV transmission line and associated substations transmitting power from power plants to the east functioned normally during and after the earthquake and tsunami. In fact, the electric power in western Aceh Province did not shut down.

Some PT PLN emergency-response workers were electrocuted when they attempted to restore electricity to emergency facilities because they had assumed the tsunami had tripped the power supply. Gas and Liquid Fuel Facilities The state-owned Pertamina petroleum company suffered substantial damage to fuel depots, where storage facilities were damaged and some fuel was lost, mostly on the west coast of Aceh Province, particularly in Banda Aceh and south to Meulaboh. The deep-water port at Kreung Raya, the petroleum storage and distribution facility, lost half of its above-ground piping and 3 of 12 liquid fuel (diesel, high-octane gas, oil, and kerosene) storage tanks. None of the tanks was anchored to its foundations, and the three that were swept away by tsunami waves were only partially full. The nine full storage tanks were not affected. As with the electric system, most above-ground distribution systems were seriously damaged or destroyed by the tsunami. Roads and Bridges Roads and bridges were devastated by the force of the tsunami waves. Many bridges were swept off their supports, and connecting earth embankments were significantly scoured, disabling the transportation network for hundreds of kilometers along the west coast of Aceh Province.

Hundreds of bridges were picked up and swept inland by the tsunami waves, some more than a kilometer. The extensive damage to bridges severely constrained rescue and relief efforts, as the bridges had been vital links to population centers in the region. Many of the bridges on the coastal road to Meulaboh were destroyed and washed away, and sections of the road disappeared, which isolated many small communities. Survivors could be reached only by boat or helicopter. In addition, the destruction of the bridges resulted in the disruption of the electric distribution system at bridge crossings. Liquefaction Although earlier reconnaisances reported no evidence of liquefaction, earthquakes of this magnitude and duration commonly cause liquefaction in coastal areas. During a reconnaissance by helicopter, we observed extensive liquefaction in near-shore beach deposits for at least 150 kilometers along the Aceh coast, from south of Meulaboh to north of Calang. Figure 7 shows massive earthquake-induced sand-blows, with craters scoured by tsunami wave action. These liquefaction effects may have been the deciding factor in the destruction of the PT PNL 1-megawatt power plant on the coast at Calang.

Conclusions Although routinely constructed houses and buildings may have been able to survive the earthquake shaking, tsunami waves devastated almost all of them. Most well designed and well constructed utility and industrial facilities had sufficient capacity to withstand both the earthquake and the tsunami. Partially full storage tanks, bridges, and other light structures that were not anchored to their foundations were not able to resist tsunami forces. Tectonic subsidence and liquefaction were significant contributors to the devastation. Acknowledgments This paper is based on a team (Lloyd Cluff, George Plafker, and Stuart Nishenko) reconnaissance, sponsored by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, to Aceh Province, Indonesia, in May 2005, almost five months after the December 26, 2004, earthquake and tsunami. The purpose of the investigation was to assess the performance of gas and electric systems and related industrial infrastructure. Our reconnaissance focused on northern Aceh Province, where the earthquake and tsunami effects were most severe. References Hudnut, K.W. 2006.

Geologic and geodetic aspects of the December 2004 great Sumatra Andaman earthquake and 2005 Nias-Simeulue earthquake: 2004 great Sumatra earthquakes and Indian Ocean tsunamis of December 2, 2004, and March 28, 2005. Earthquake Spectra 22(S3): S13–S42. Kanamori, H. 2006. Seismological aspects of the December 2004 great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, 2004 great Sumatra earthquakes and Indian Ocean tsunamis of December 26, 2004, and March 28, 2005. Earthquake Spectra 22 (S3): S1–S12. Lay, T., S. Das, D. Helmberger, G. Ichinose, J. Polet, and D. Wald. 2005. Rupture process of the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake.

Science 308(5725): 1133–1139. About the Author: Lloyd S. Cluff is director of geo-sciences and earthquake risk management, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and an NAE member. Indonesia: A Reconstruction Chapter Ends Eight Years after the Tsunami Indonesia: A Reconstruction Chapter Ends Eight Years after the Tsunami December 26, 2012 The highly successful reconstruction process in Aceh has provided an invaluable lesson for Indonesia and the world in disaster response. See photo slideshow STORY HIGHLIGHTS Eight years ago, a large tsunami devasted Aceh causing over 221,000 people killed or missing. The approach used during the reconstruction process brought great success and has now transformed Aceh. Experience in Aceh has provided an invaluable lesson for Indonesia and the world in disaster response. Jakarta, Dec 26, 2012 - A visitor to Banda Aceh, the capital of the northernmost province of Indonesia, would marvel at its freshly-painted buildings, well paved roads, and busy shops.

A lot has changed in the last eight years, when the earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004, devastated this city along with much of the coast of Aceh. In total, 286,000 people in 14 countries lost their lives, including 221,000 killed or missing in Aceh alone. The disaster was compounded when another earthquake severely damaged Nias, an island off North Sumatra, in March 2005. These statistics are a sobering reminder every year on the anniversary of the disaster. But today, after eight years of reconstruction and unprecedented social and political changes in Aceh, it is possible to look beyond the destruction and reflect on what has gone well since that terrible day. The disaster and years of work that followed had an impact reaching far beyond Aceh’s borders, and provided the world with valuable lessons in disaster reconstruction. A highly successful reconstruction effort Aceh today is a transformed place, the result of a lot of money, good organization and hard work. Nearly $7 billion in contributions from the Indonesian government and international donors flowed in, fueling a boom in reconstruction activity.

Nearly ten percent of these funds were contributed through the Multi Donor Fund for Aceh and Nias (MDF). The fund, which was managed by the World Bank, pooled funding from 15 donors and provided an effective mechanism for putting these funds to work. The MDF will close its doors at the end of 2012, marking the end of its mandate to support the reconstruction effort. Lasting peace The tsunami ended nearly three decades of conflict between the Indonesian government and a rebel movement. The conflict cost 15,000 lives and effectively cut Aceh off from the rest of the country, leaving the province with little growth or economic opportunities. The scale of devastation caused by the tsunami led to a peace agreement in 2005 and the first free election of Aceh’s governor. Prospects look good—the peace has held for the last seven years and through two election cycles. Resolution of the conflict has ended Aceh’s isolation and opened the door for development, investment, and economic reintegration with the rest of Indonesia and the world.

Indonesian expertise in disaster response The Indonesian government, which led the reconstruction effort, faced a series of disasters after the tsunami, starting with the Nias earthquake in 2005. Between 2008 and 2010, Java was struck by earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Although these events led to loss of life and destruction, they also enabled the government to apply lessons learned in Aceh to new disaster scenarios. The result is a government with significant expertise in disaster management and preparedness. This knowledge has led to strong government policies and institutions, and the establishment of the newly-formed National Board for Disaster Management (BNBP) and the Indonesia Disaster Fund (IDF) which is largely modeled on the MDF. The government also gained valuable experience in managing international Proven approaches The MDF has contributed to Indonesia’s experiences to offer a robust approach to managing and preparing for disasters. Some key elements are: Using a phased approach, starting with rebuilding homes and communities, then progressing to infrastructure and finally to economic development, fitted to respond to evolving needs. Employing community-based development for rebuilding homes and local infrastructure, to maximize the effectiveness of community recovery.

Designing cross-cutting elements into all projects, including disaster risk reduction, capacity building, gender inclusiveness, environmental protection and capacity development to enhance the quality of the reconstruction. These approaches, pioneered in Aceh, have been replicated and tested elsewhere in Indonesia and have been studied by other countries when designing their own disaster response strategies. Going forward Because of the specifics of its geography, Indonesia is certain to face natural disasters in the future. But when the next one strikes, Indonesia will be much more prepared for it. Being prepared has positioned Indonesia to save lives and avoid the extraordinary reconstruction costs of the past. The Acehnese people, who paid such a heavy price eight years ago today, are now able to give back to the rest of Indonesia and to the world an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience in return for the generous support they received. Because so much was done so well in the years following the tsunami, the lives lost were not in vain. To learn more, please visit . RELATED

Question: On 26 December 2004 Aceh in Sumatra, Indonesia, was devastated by what?
Answer: A tsunami