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Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004: Quick Facts

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Facts

Date December 26, 2004
Location India • Indian Ocean • Indonesia • Maldives • Thailand

Did You Know?

  • The tsunami resulted in about $10 billion of property damage and other material losses.
  • The tsunami contained twice the energy of all the bombs utilized throughout World War II.
  • The earthquake that caused the tsunami lasted almost 10 minutes.

Photos and Videos

Flooded and debris-strewn landscape in Karmavadi village, Nagapattinam district, India, with an overturned boat in the foreground and damaged buildings and scattered debris in the background after the 2004 tsunami.
Aceh, Indonesia: tsunami aftermath
Banda Aceh: tsunami, 2004
How Tsunamis Form from Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Landslides
Pixelated window with the text TSUNAMI OR WAVE? and a large cursor overlaying a background of a large wave hitting the coast.
See All Videos, Images and Interactives →

Key People

Michelle Howard
Michelle Howard
United States admiral

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