Sumatra, Indonesia - December 26, 2004 |
A magnitude 9.4 Mw earthquake occurred off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004. It was the fourth-largest earthquake in the world since 1900 and the largest since the 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska, earthquake. The earthquake generated a tsunami that caused more casualties than any other in recorded history. The tsunami was recorded nearly world-wide on tide gauges in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In total, more than 283,100 people were killed, 14,1000 are still listed as missing and 1,126,900 were displaced by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 10 countries in South Asia and East Africa. NOAA image. View larger map.