This document summarizes the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It provides background on the earthquake that caused the tsunami, the countries affected, and the huge loss of life and economic impacts. It discusses the lack of early warning systems and disaster preparedness. It outlines the response efforts by governments and relief organizations. It also describes the establishment of the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System in 2007 to help detect future tsunamis and provide warnings. The document stresses the importance of public education, regional cooperation, and building more resilient infrastructure.

1. The Indian Ocean Tsunami,
2004
Presented by-
Pranjal Saheb
School of Water Resources,
Indian Institute of Technology
Kharagpur

2. Table of Content:
 Introduction
 Economic and Environmental Impact
 Reasons for huge loss
 Efforts by Government of India
 Response and Recovery
 Indian Tsunami Early Warning System
 Education and warnings
 Policies in India
 Conclusion

3. Introduction:
 The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami(Boxing day tsunami),
occurred on 26 December, with an epicentre off the west
coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
 One of the deadliest natural calamities.
 Died - 230000
 Cause – Sumatra – Andaman Earthquake
 The 3rd most powerful earthquake in recorded history.
 Quake measured – 9.1-9.3 on Richter scale.
 The earthquake was caused by a rupture along the fault
between the Burmese Plate and the Indian Plate.
 Energy released = 23000 Hiroshima type atomic bombs
 The quake has displaced huge amount of ocean water that
flooded coastlines along the Indian ocean.

4. Total countries affected - 18
Countries suffering major
casualties and deaths
• Indonesia
• Sri Lanka
• India
• Maldives
• Thailand

5. Image source : World vision Image source : Times of India

6. Economic and Environmental Impacts:
 Spread of solid and liquid waste and industrial
chemicals.
 Ports ruined, fishing industry devastated.
 Reconstruction cost billions of dollars.
 Loss of earning from tourism – foreign visitors to
Phuket dropped 80% in 2005.
 8 millions litres of oil escaped from oil plants in
Indonesia.
 Mangrove forest along the coast were
destroyed.
 Crops, farm land destroyed.
 Coral reefs and coastal wetlands damaged.

7. Satellite photographs show the shores of Banda Aceh, on
Sumatra, Indonesia, before (top) and two days after (bottom) it
was hit by the devastating tsunami of Dec. 26, 2004

8. Reasons for Huge Loss:
 Lack of information
 High magnitude quake : IX (violent)
 None has preparedness program in place.
 Countries did not have a tsunami warning system(TEWS) in
2004.
 Dense coastal populations combined with a lack of tsunami-
warning infrastructure came together to produce this horrific
result
 Lack of improved communication which might have allowed
them to evacuate coastal areas in time.

9. Efforts by Government of India:
 In the Indian government, natural disasters are handled by the Union
Ministry of Home Affairs.
 The Indian Tri-Services (Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian
Navy) were pressed into service to provide emergency support.
 Immediate Relief was facilitated by Govt. Of India through the release
of grant from National calamity Contingency Fund, contributed Rs. 700
crore to states and UT’s.
 Total relief camps = 881
 Medical teams were sent to states.
 18 medical camps
 20+ medical teams

10. Response and Recovery:

11. Reconstruction Assistance by Agencies/Institution:

12. Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS-INCOIS):
 The ITEWS was established in 2007 and is based at and operated by INCOIS,
Hyderabad.
 According to experts from the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information
System(INCOIS), India is much safer against tsunami threats than it was in 2004,
due to tsunami early warning system at INCOIS.
 A real-time network of seismic stations.
 Bottom Pressure Recorders (BPR).
 Tide gauges and 24 X 7 operational Tsunami Warning Centre.

13.  At present, the tsunami warning centre receives data from-
 17 seismic stations of the IMD
 10 stations of the WIHG
 More than 300 international stations
 In addition, it receives data from 17 sea level tide gauges at intervals of five
minutes.
 Using the data obtained from a network of equipment, models have been
run to provide maps depicting inundation scenarios for the entire coastal
belt.
 Based on this scenarios, the potential risk zones are identified to generate
advisories for various stakeholders in the region.
Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS-INCOIS)

14. How Early Tsunami Warning System Works:

16. Education and Warnings:
 Education needs to include knowledge of the cause of a tsunami its
association with the largest earthquakes to help individuals to understand how
their own observations can help them take appropriate action.
 Any occasion when the sea level recedes rapidly and inexplicably should be
taken as a signal for immediate flight to higher ground.
 As warning systems that track the passage of the tsunami in the open ocean
are being developed, self help solutions can be supplemented with
information on how to respond to official warnings, such as those delivered
through radio, cell phone message or sirens.

17. Policies in India:
 National Policy On Disaster Management (NPDM)
o Promoting a culture of prevention, preparedness, and resilience at all levels
through knowledge, innovation and education.
o Promoting a productive partnership with the media to create awareness and
contributing towards capacity development.
o Ensuring efficient response and relief with a caring approach towards the needs
of the vulnerable sections of the society.
o Ensuring efficient mechanism for identification, assessment and monitoring of
disaster risks.

18.  Undertaking reconstruction as an opportunity to build disaster resilient structures
and habitat for ensuring safer living.
The Disaster Management Act, 2005
 The Act provides for the legal and institutional framework for the effective
management of disasters.
 The Act mandates creation of new institutions and assignment of specific roles for
Central, State and Local Governments.
Policies in India:

19. Way Forward:
Provision of Bio Shield (BS)
Emergency Tsunami Rescue Shelter (ETRS)
Need to increase the awareness programmed basically in the
coastline vulnerable areas.

20. Conclusions:
 We all are vulnerable to natural disasters. We must remember that the disasters
do not recognise borders and can affect entire region.
 Coastal zones and small islands are often densely populated areas that increase
people risk and vulnerability. Small islands like Andaman and Nicobar islands
are barely a few metres above sea level, which means evacuation to higher
levels is almost impossible. Government and local authorities need to take
public habitat into consideration in long term planning and development,
ensuring that risks are minimized.
 Involvement of community civil defence volunteers, NGOs, youth
organizations is also important.

21.  Public awareness and education are essential to protecting people and
property. In Thailand more than 1800 people were saved because a
tribal chief recognized that and decided to evacuate his people up to
hills.
 Countries need to work together at the regional and international levels
ahead of time, instead of waiting unless disaster strikes to respond.
Conclusions:

22. Thankyou