An Analysis of the Indian Ocean Tsunami

Introduction

Tsunami is a Japanese word and they are fairly common in the country. An analysis of the Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 reveals that it caused severe destruction to countries across the globe, which evoked the development of a new tsunami alarm system, new evacuation maps and methods, and the use of advanced technologies to help lessen the impact of devastating tsunamis. A tsunami simply refers to a group of waves that occurs because of the displacement of large volumes of water from a body such as a lake or ocean. The Indian Ocean Tsunami is the most recent Tsunami to occur in the world. In its wake, the tsunami left a great amount of destruction among other grievous consequences.

In order to understand the full effects of the tsunami, it is imperative to perform qualitative and quantitative research. Some of the worst-hit countries were Asian countries such as India, Indonesia, and Thailand. The tsunami led to high numbers of casualties and victims. Additionally, there was a great deal of destruction of property. Owing to the dynamic nature of the causes of Tsunami, and their devastating impacts upon the environments which they interact with, it is important to come up with a solution to address this menace. This solution will involve the development of comprehensive disaster prevention and reaction plans.

Indications of a Tsunami

Tsunamis are brought on by a number of factors. Some of these factors are such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslips, and asteroids. In the case of the 2004 tsunami, it was triggered off by an enormous underwater earthquake, which according to Lüsted (p. 17) had its epicenter 60 miles off the western coast of Sumatra Island. Lusted goes on to indicate that the earthquake itself resulted from a shift between two plates, the Indian plate and the Burma plate. The shift was characterized by a gradual slipping of the Indian plate such that it was sliding under the edge of the Burma plate. Once frictional force was overcome, there was a sudden upheaval or downheaval of tectonic plates (p. 20). The sudden tectonic upheaval helps to explain the Tsunami. This is because the direct impact of this upheaval was sudden and abrupt surge of water. This surge involved huge amounts of water, and this is what consequently amounted to the disaster that was the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

To gain insight into the magnitude of the displaced water, consider that the fault area that slipped is estimated to be 120 miles in width and 800 miles in length. Also, consider that the earthquake itself was the second-strongest ever recorded (Shaw 52) and that the tsunami was the largest with peak waves reaching 30 meters (Beaumont, Doherty, and Ramesh). Additionally, according to National Geographic News, tsunamis can be as far apart as one hour, and they can travel long distances without a significant loss in their energy, and this is what makes them so lethal. A combination of these considerations helps one to create a vivid mental picture of the extent of the severity of the tsunami and the catastrophic consequences.

The magnitude of the tsunami raises questions such as what was the awareness of the possibilities of an impending tsunami. This is because the tsunami originated from the effect of an earthquake. This earthquake turned out to be the second strongest ever recorded, and it is therefore unlikely that seismographs would have missed such an event. The truth of the matter is that the event was not missed.

However, according to (Gregg et al., p. S672) US agencies indicated that it was impossible to report tsunamis in less than 15-20 minutes before their occurrence. As a consequence, this predisposes individuals to reliance on natural warnings. Another reason why mechanical systems may fail is that due to the short duration between the announcement and the event itself, it may not be possible to reach everyone.

Despite the shortcoming of mechanicals; systems in providing ample indication of an oncoming tsunami, there are other natural methods that can be used to indicate tsunamis. For example, one can rely on earth movements. According to (Gregg et al., p. S672), residents of Hokkaido in Japan reacted to ground shaking by moving to higher ground. This was in the 1993 Hokkaido earthquake. Going by Japan’s history of tsunamis, it is highly likely that these methods would be effective. After all, many of these individuals might have experienced and survived other tsunamis. They (National Geographic News) also cite earthquakes as a warning sign, among other precursors.

Some of the other indicators they warn about include a noticeable rise or fall in the ocean level, for example, a receding ocean. According to experts, this sign provides individuals around the area with about five minutes within which they can move to higher ground. Another important factor is that tsunami waves occur as far as an hour apart. In the case of a train of tsunami waves, the appropriate indicator is an ocean’s repeated retreat/advance. Moreover, tsunami surges vary in intensity at different points and it is therefore imperative for individuals not to make assumptions about tsunamis. In the case of the 2004 tsunami, some of the casualties lost their lives simply because of their curiosity. Some people went to the shoreline in order to have a closer look at the ocean floor after the ocean receded (National Geographic News).

Effects of 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

The Indian Ocean Tsunami affected not just the numerous countries along the Indian Ocean coastline, but the globe at large. The countries affected included those in Asia and Africa, including India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Somalia. The total number of victims who lost their lives was 228,000 (Beaumont, Doherty, and Ramesh). Of this number, about 9000 were foreign tourists. Apart from those who lost their lives, about 2 million people were displaced. It is evident from these figures that the tsunami had a great toll on human life.

These statistics also help to elucidate the fact that the phenomena did not just affect countries along the Indian Ocean coastline. Many developed countries such as USA, UK, France, and Germany have international tourists. Such countries lost their nationals owing to the tsunami, even though it did not take place along their coastlines or within their territory.

Apart from these effects on human life, the Tsunami also had an adverse economic effect amounting to several millions of dollars. Beaumont, Doherty, and Ramesh argue that at the minimum, at least half a million houses were destroyed or damaged. To elucidate on the extremes of destruction, consider Karan (p. 1) account. They cite that large boats and ships were stranded inland, while in contrast, there were cars in the sea. Also affected were economic activities such as fishing and tourism.

Then there is the issue of how much humanitarian aid was required to remedy the situation. These humanitarian activities are such as the search and rescue operations, providing assistance to the affected parties, and assisting those in the affected areas. The role of NGOs was essential in assisting the government to change the mass fatalities (Karan, Subbiah and Gilbreath 58). As per December 2009, it was estimated that the Red Cross has assisted about 4,807,000, built 51395 houses and rehabilitated or built 289 hospitals (Beaumont, Doherty, and Ramesh).

Solutions to 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

It is evident that there was a huge amount of damage and devastation occasioned by the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Part of the reason why these effects were on such a huge magnitude is due to the lack of a disaster preparedness plan, and in particular, a lack of an effective system that could be used to relay warnings to the concerned parties. Lüsted (p. 28) indicates that many of the countries in the region lacked a civil defense warning system that could be used to alert people.

Facing forward, efforts sprang within the islands and countries in the region, as well as other countries, to develop more effective systems that would ensure that such crises would be averted in the future. These efforts culminated in the establishment of the Intergovernmental Coordinating Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System also known as the ICG/IOTWS (Murata 293). Some of the activities carried out by this body include earthquake monitoring, tide level monitoring, and Disaster risk evaluation.

Another component of these efforts towards managing disasters is the use of Tsunami Forecasting systems. These systems analyze tectonic movement patterns and issue tsunami information and values that are then relayed to residents so that they can evacuate. A tricky issue that these systems have to contend with is that not all large-scale earthquakes result in Tsunamis, and not all Tsunamis result from large scale earthquakes. This makes it hard to predict the likelihood of an earthquake to a high degree of accuracy. Nonetheless, they are of high utility, especially considering that there is only usually a small interval of time between the detection of a tsunami and its actual occurrence. One system the Earthquake Early Warning System has been able to achieve high speeds, allowing Tsunami information to be relayed within approximately three minutes of an earthquake’s occurrence (Murata 294).

Solutions

While Tsunamis are natural disasters, and nothing can be done to stop them, the effects can be minimized. Avoiding inundation areas when building can minimize the number of people and property damaged during a tsunami. A building should be located away from hazardous areas and on high points where possible. Slowing water is another way to minimize the effects of a tsunami, by minimizing the force at which the waves hit the land. Ditches and beams, for instance, can be used to filter out debris, as well as slow down the waves. The success of this method, however, is dependent on the ability to estimate the force and path of a tsunami as accurately as possible.

Another method used to minimize the effects of a tsunami is steering. In this method, water is steered away to paved roads, wells, dams, angled walls, and large ditches. The aim is to slow down the water and reduce the impact of the waves. The water is then directed back to the ocean and this time it flows less violently. Design solutions have to be accurate and the ditches and walls have to be strong enough. Otherwise, the waves can easily break them causing even more damage because the violent waves are directed in a specific direction.

Blocking can also be used to minimize the effects of a tsunami. Waves are blocked using berms, walls, tough terraces and other types of structures. These structures are built around communities that live near oceans to block the waves. This method can, however, be difficult to implement due to land ownership issues and where to build the structures. Unless a community comes together and agrees to donate parts of their land for the purpose, those near the ocean might feel like they are giving up too much of their land to protect the entire community.

Experts, however, argue that communities are the most important part of mitigation strategies. Community awareness and preparedness are the only sure way to minimize tsunami damage. Also, working with communities allows them to implement solutions based on their experiences in the past, and what they value most. For instance, a neighborhood that is dependent on agriculture will benefit most by raising the yards for their poultry, cattle and other products. Dams and dikes built to minimize violent wave effects can also help them in irrigation, which motivates them to get involved in mitigation process.

Conclusion

A tsunami refers to a series of waves that result from an earthquake, and which have the capability bring disaster at a catastrophic level. The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunamis is by far the worst Tsunami to ever occur on earth. It resulted from a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and affected over 16 countries. In the aftermath, 228000 deaths were reported, including 9000 foreign tourists. This underpins the problem as an international one that needed urgent address. Furthermore, there was a large number of economic losses, in terms of property that had been destroyed, and livelihoods that had been lost.

Furthermore, much humanitarian aid was required. It is clear from the analysis of the 2004 Indian Ocean that there were massive destructions as well as a major humanitarian loss that affected the entire globe, necessitating the development of modern emergency preparedness systems that would be useful in coping with such disasters in future. In the end, it is important that the globe should learn from its mistakes. The lessons learned should be transferred to other sectors and possible disasters, to ensure that the action taken to address disasters is proactive and not reactive. This could, for example, be in the case of hurricanes and cyclones, which continue to wreak havoc to date. 

Works Cited

Beaumont, Peter, et al. After the 2004 tsunami: rebuilding lives, salvaging communities. 23 December 2009. 16 November 2013.<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/dec/23/2004-tsunami-five-years-on>.

Gregg, Chris E. and et al. "Natural warning signs of tsunamis: human sensory experience and response to the 2004 Great Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami in Thailand." Earthquake Spectra 22.S3 (2006): 671-691.

Karan, Pradyumna Prasad, Shanmugam P. Subbiah and Dick Gilbreath. The Indian Ocean Tsunami the Global Response to a Natural Disaster. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 2011.

Lüsted, Marcia Amidon. The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Edina, Minn: ABDO Pub., 2008.

Murata, Susumu. Tsunami to Survive from Tsunami. Hackensack, N.J: World Scientific, 2010.

National Geographic News. Tsunami Warning Signs, Facts in Wake of Samoa Quake. 29 September 2009. 17 November 2013.<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090929-tsunami-warning-samoa-earthquake.html>.

Shaw, Rajib. Recovery from the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. Bradford, England: Emerald Group Pub., 2006.