Friday Marks Ten Year Anniversary of Earthquake, Tsunami in Southeast Asia

Gurinder Osan/Hindustan Times via Getty Images(BANGKOK,Thailand) — It’s been 10 years since an earthquake and tsunami struck multiple countries in Southeast Asia, causing one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.

On December 26, 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake shook the Indian Ocean, causing a tsunami. The disaster left 230,000 people dead in 14 countries.

Tsunami survivor Jillian Searle, who had been vacationing with her family on the Thai island of Phuket when the disaster struck, said she first heard a “loud roaring sound.”

It “sounded like a jet plane from the sky,” Searle said. “And I kind of looked up and I couldn’t see a plane, I thought, ‘oh,’ and then I saw the birds in the sky taking off, which I thought was a bit strange.”

Speaking at an even in Penang, Thailand for the 10th anniversary, UN Under Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos said in the month following the disaster, the world donated $1 billion each week to the relief effort.

“People also offered their knowledge, their skills — individuals, civic action groups, and aid agencies; local, national, regional, and international,” Amos said.

Amos also said the disaster taught the world many painful lessons. “It highlighted the importance of putting in place early warning systems and disaster preparedness before crises occur in order to save lives,” she added.

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