Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Thailand
Open-knowledge reference entry
Thailand was one of the 18 countries greatly impacted by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on 26 December 2004. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami left behind unprecedented damage and destruction in six provinces of Thailand, impacting 407 villages, and completely destroying 47 of them, including prominent tourist resorts like Khao Lak. The disaster killed about 5,400 people in Thailand, including foreign tourists. In addition, 2,993 people were reported missing in Thailand. According to reports, over 250,000 people were killed within 18 countries across Southeast Asia and Southern Africa that were impacted, and over 1.7 million people were left homeless. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami was a significant disaster event that impacted a vast population.
Tsunami
The tsunami was caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake located in Indonesia in the early morning of 26 December 2004. The first location where the tsunami was noticed was on the Similan Islands, a famous diving site located about 70 km from Phang Nga town in Pha Nga province, 13 km from central Khao Lak. When the tsunami struck, the sea around these islands was reported to have strong currents and underwater divers felt strong turbulence. Some flooding also occurred inland, though no casualties were reported.
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