The United Nations estimated that, "...the disaster will prove to be the costliest ever recorded, with full economic recovery not expected for up to 10 years in many areas. " (Intute: Science, engineering and technology: Tsunamis)
The physical structure of the coast and the environment was severely damaged which meant that flora and fauna was disrupted and destroyed. "The extent of this damage is being assessed and will likely vary considerably depending on the local topography and hydrology." (Anonymous: Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems)
In addition to the environmental damage and pollution caused by the Tsunami was the fact that non-biodegradable waste such as plastics led to an increase of marine debris.
Another environmental aspect was that, "Toxic wastes, which were inadequately stored, may have been dispersed."
Anonymous: Impact of Tsunamis on Ecosystems)
However, the effect and impact of the tsunami was not only limited to the immediate results of the wave of water and there are further aspects that have to be considered. As one study of the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami states;
One of the durable themes of our research is that the impact of natural disasters is never merely local. While the physical damage was concentrated along a relatively narrow coastal fringe, in human terms the tsunami's impact, like the earthquake and resulting tsunami itself, rippled outward from its epicentre. (Rigg et al. 2005)
In other words, the impact of the tsunami was even more extensive than its immediate effects. This relates to the fact that many towns, villages and areas were very ill prepared for the impact of a disaster of this nature. This also refers to cultural and psychological aspects of the affect of the tsunami.
One of the effects that has lingered long after the physical effects of the tsunami is fear; "The nature and unprecedented scale of the tsunami in the Andaman Sea created an intense sense of fear; in particular, the fear of the unknown, the uncertain and the uncontrollable." (Rigg et al. 2005) This has had the result of changing traditional cultural views and the introduction of previously unacceptable scientific concepts. The event was also related in a cultural context to various religious and ethical views; for example, the view that Muslims has been "punished " by God as a result of young Muslims deviating from the ethos and traditions of Islam and indulging in the consumption of drugs and alcohol. (Rigg et al. 2005)
It may seem contradictory and slightly unfeeling to speak of positive outcomes or results of the tsunami, however there are some studies that suggest more positive consequences that have resulted from this event. One possible positive result is that it caused many civil conflicts in the region to come to halt and many political groups to reassess there disagreements and conflicts in the light of the magnitude of this disaster. An example of this is the political conflict that was prominent in Aceh before the tsunami.
Then came the tsunami. Its staggering impact, as well as the sudden arrival of outside help, transformed Aceh's political and social landscape. The warring parties realized that if Aceh was to be rebuilt, they'd have to stop fighting. A ceasefire agreement was signed in August (Herlinger, 2006, p. 11)
5. The aftermath: Remedial actions and reduction of the problem.
As has been referred to in this paper, one of the central critiques is that there was no adequate early warning system in place. Coupled with this is the view that the aftermath of the tsunami was inadequately dealt with by countries involved and world agencies and bodies. As Smith (2004) points out, there has to be a great deal of preparation and planning to deal with an event of this nature which can create death and devastation in a very short period of time. "If a tsunami is generated locally, the evacuation time before the arrival of the first tidal wave is likely to be only 20-25 minutes and routes to the higher refuge area have to be well organised and understood" (Smith 68)
It follows therefore, that an early warning system is an essential aspect in dealing with a tsunami. While there is no way to prevent a tsunami for occurring, if sufficient warning is given many lives can be saved. In this regard it should be noted that at the time no Tsunami Warning System existed for the Indian Ocean. While there is an extensive system in the pacific, this is not he case in the Indian Ocean. (Pararas-Carayannis)
To remedy this situation there have been renewed efforts to establish a more adequate and effective warning system in the region. One of the projects that have been initiated is the German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System for the Indian Ocean (GITEWS). The technical aspects of this system are being tested during 2008 and will begin operating in 2009. The system is based on a system of buoys and sensors that are linked to a warning control system, which will hopefully be able to prevent future devastation and death and send timely warnings...
International Disaster: The Indian Ocean 2004 Tsunami and Earthquake The International Response to the Indian Ocean Disaster of 2004 The National Geographic has called the Indian Ocean Tsunami and Earthquake of 2004 the deadliest disaster in history. The disaster itself killed well above 200,000 individuals from over five different countries. The magnitude of the earthquake was above 9.0, and there were no ways in which to let the individuals in these five
Deadliest Tsunami The Indian Ocean Tsunami on 2004 was one of the worst that the region has ever experienced over a very long period of time. It reached a magnitude of 9.0 and originated from the Indian Ocean at the North West coast of the Indonesia island of Sumatra. There were waves of up to 15 meters in height and the waves travelled to distances of up to 5,000 kilometers inland
In fact, the entire damage was caused by the tsunami itself along with other factors like the geology and geography of the region. The damage that the tsunami caused to mainland India, a seismically quiescent region, was concentrated mainly on the eastern coastline but some damage due to diffraction also occurred on the southernmost tip of the western coastline. A factor which played a major role in the scale
Tsunami Relief and Reconstruction The images on television were unimaginable. The number of deaths, staggering. The stories of survival were both heroic and miraculous. Even today, some months later, the news is still filled with reports concerning the December 26, 2004 tsunami that literally devastated many areas of Indonesia. Relief efforts have been under way since the first few days of the disaster and have come from virtually every area of
Tsunami Warning System The December 2004 tsunami shocked the world, literally taking it by storm. It killed nearly 300,000 people in Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and its devastating effects were felt as afar away as Africa, where several people died as a result. The tsunami was preceded and directly caused by a magnitude 9.15 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Sumatra. Although there was a significant lag between the
Data has shown that society was previously inclined to underestimate tsunamis and their power. Advancements in tsunami studies have made it possible for the masses to become better acquainted with the concept and with the fact that it can practically happen more frequent than they thought. In addition to that, it appears that no coast lines are protected from tsunamis, as they can be affected more or less, mainly
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now