How big was the earthquake that caused the tsunami in 2004?
9.1
The December 26, 2004 magnitude (M) 9.1 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake occurred along a tectonic subduction zone in which the India Plate, an oceanic plate, is being subducted beneath the Burma micro-plate, part of the larger Sunda plate.
Was the Boxing Day tsunami caused by an earthquake?
On 26 December 2004 a tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean. It was the result of the Indio-Australian Plate subducting below the Eurasian Plate. It was caused by an earthquake measuring more than magnitude 9. The earthquake caused the seafloor to uplift, displacing the seawater above.
How big was the earthquake that caused the Boxing Day tsunami?
On Sunday morning 26 December 2004 at 00:58:53 UTC, a massive earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale struck off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The epicentre was 30 kilometres under the seabed and approximately 250 kilometres south to south-west of Banda Aceh.
What caused the 2004 earthquake and tsunami?
The December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake that is thought to have had the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs. The epicenter of the 9.0 magnitude quake was located in the Indian Ocean near the west coast of Sumatra.
How long did tsunami 2004 last?
Over the next seven hours, a tsunami—a series of immense ocean waves—triggered by the quake reached out across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas as far away as East Africa. Some locations reported that the waves had reached a height of 30 feet (9 metres) or more when they hit the shoreline.
Which natural disaster killed the most?
The 10 most significant natural disasters worldwide by death toll from 1980 to 2019
| Characteristic | Death toll |
|---|---|
| Earthquake, tsunami (Thailand*, December 26, 2004) | 220,000 |
| Earthquake (Haiti, January 12, 2010) | 159,000 |
| Cyclone Nargis, storm surge (Myanmar, May 2-5, 2008) | 140,000 |
What was the cause of the Boxing Day tsunami?
Case study: Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 On 26 December 2004 a tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean. It was the result of the Indio-Australian Plate subducting below the Eurasian Plate. It was caused by an earthquake measuring more than magnitude 9.
What was the cause of the tsunami in 2004?
On 26 December 2004 a tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean. It was the result of the Indio-Australian Plate subducting below the Eurasian Plate. It was caused by an earthquake measuring more than magnitude 9. The earthquake caused the seafloor to uplift, displacing the seawater above. In open ocean the tsunami measured less than 1 metre high.
Where was the epicenter of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami?
A powerful undersea earthquake that struck off the coast of Sumatra island, Indonesia, set off the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, also known as the Christmas or Boxing Day tsunami, on Sunday morning, Dec. 26, 2004. The magnitude 9.1 quake ruptured a 900-mile stretch of fault line where the Indian and Australian tectonic plates meet.
How many people died in the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami?
How many people died in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami? Nearly 230,000 people died in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, making it one of the deadliest disasters in modern history.