| On December 26, 2004 the Asian Tsunami hit the | | | | cases whole families where completely wiped out. |
| coastal regions of Southeast Asia. It was the | | | | There was a massive economic impact as a |
| result of the second largest and longest lasting | | | | result of this tsunami. The local infrastructure, |
| underwater earthquake ever recorded, and has | | | | including roads, utilities, and food supplies where |
| since been referred to as the single worst | | | | totally destroyed or extensively damaged |
| tsunami on record. | | | | requiring much needed and very costly repairs. |
| The earthquake that generated this tsunami | | | | The coastal fishing communities lost laborers, as |
| reached a magnitude of 9.3 on the Richter scale | | | | well as boats, traps and other gear. It was |
| and lasted for between 500 and 600 seconds. | | | | estimated that 66% of the total fishing fleet was |
| The wave caused by this quake did massive | | | | wiped out. Shipping through the Malacca Straights |
| damage to parts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, | | | | was affected by changing depths, the drifting of |
| and Thailand, with crests reaching a maximum | | | | shipping buoys, and the shifting or movement of |
| height of 100 feet. | | | | old shipwrecks. Salt from the sea water |
| The damage that resulted from this tsunami was | | | | contaminated local fresh water supplies and farm |
| extensive. Repairs to the area are ongoing, and | | | | land, in some cases rendering it useless for what |
| are estimated to take five to ten years to | | | | may become many years. Seven billion dollars in |
| complete. Widespread damage to local | | | | financial aid was pumped into the area by the |
| infrastructure, shortages of food and water, and | | | | international community. Even now tourism has |
| the potential for disease create additional risks. | | | | only just begun to return to the region. |
| 186,983 people where killed, and 14,100 where | | | | To think that something as simple as a very large |
| reported missing. A further 1,126,900 people were | | | | wave could cause damage of such a magnitude is |
| rendered homeless, requiring massive relief | | | | beyond what most people can begin to imagine. |
| efforts to ensure that those that survived the | | | | Most of us think little about the possible |
| tsunami did not suffer from other causes, | | | | consequences that could ensue when Mother |
| resulting from the extensive damage created by | | | | Nature decides to make a change. In this day and |
| the wave. | | | | age, with our complex information systems, and |
| The social impact of this tsunami was significant | | | | huge data storage requirements it is easy to see |
| as well. Tourism to the area was quashed: | | | | why being prepared and taking every reasonable |
| travelers no longer wanted to visit the Southeast | | | | precaution makes economic sense, and is socially |
| Asian coasts. Local families where devastated; | | | | responsible. |
| many lost the major income earners, and in some | | | | |