1. A massive 9.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia on December 26, 2004, triggering a devastating tsunami across the Indian Ocean.
2. The tsunami waves reached heights of over 30 meters in some areas of Indonesia and over 10 meters in many other places. Over 230,000 people were killed or went missing across 14 countries.
3. Countries around the Indian Ocean have worked to establish tsunami early warning systems and increase public education to help save lives from future events, but the 2004 tsunami highlighted the massive destruction such an event can cause.