The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004: observations in Sri Lanka and Thailand

On December 26, 2004 a great earthquake (MW 9.3) occurred off the western coast of Sumatra triggering a series of tsunami waves that propagated across the Indian Ocean causing damage and life loss in 12 countries. This paper summarizes the observations of lifeline performance, building damage and it...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Natural hazards (Dordrecht) 2007-07, Vol.42 (1), p.105-124
Main Authors: ROSSETTO, T, PEIRIS, N, POMONIS, A, WILKINSON, S. M, DEL RE, D, KOO, R, GALLOCHER, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Building damage
Damage
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Earthquake damage
Earthquake engineering
Earthquakes
Earthquakes, seismology
Economic impact
Economics
Engineering
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Field investigations
Impact analysis
Impact damage
Internal geophysics
Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc
Oceans
Risk management
Risk reduction
Seismic activity
Seismic engineering
Sri Lanka - Economic conditions
Sri Lanka - Social conditions
Structural engineers
Thailand - Economic conditions
Thailand - Social conditions
Tidal waves
Tsunamis
Wave propagation
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Summary:On December 26, 2004 a great earthquake (MW 9.3) occurred off the western coast of Sumatra triggering a series of tsunami waves that propagated across the Indian Ocean causing damage and life loss in 12 countries. This paper summarizes the observations of lifeline performance, building damage and its distribution, and the social and economic impact of the tsunami made by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) in Thailand and Sri Lanka. EEFIT operates under the umbrella of the UK’s Institution of Structural Engineers. It is observed that good engineering practice can reduce economic losses, but additional measures are required to reduce risk to life.
ISSN:0921-030X
1573-0840
DOI:10.1007/s11069-006-9064-3