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10 minutes of destruction: What really happened in this earthquake?
On December 26, 2004, at 07:58:53 local time, a shocking earthquake occurred on the coast of Aceh in northwestern Indonesia, with the epicenter about 160 kilometers from West Sumatra. The magnitude of the earthquake was as high as 9.2-9.3. A strong earthquake, officially recorded as an Indonesian offshore earthquake. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 30 kilometers below the seabed and was caused by fault slip between the Indian Plate and the Burmese Plate. The epicenter area had affected the surrounding areas with a Mercalli intensity of up to IX, causing an unprecedented tsunami.
The earthquake left 235,000 people devastated and affected 14 countries, becoming the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century and still leaving scars on history.
Before the tsunami hit, the nearly 10-minute earthquake and several subsequent strong aftershocks caused countless people to change their future plans in an instant. The fate of millions of people was changed by the earthquake and the ensuing tsunami. The tsunami waves caused by earthquake vibrations can reach a height of 30 meters, like huge waves pouring down, instantly submerging coastal villages and cities. Indonesia's Aceh province was worst affected, but countries including Sri Lanka, India and Thailand were also hit hard.
This disaster was not only a tragedy of death, but also the beginning of the loss of homes and livelihoods for thousands of people.
This earthquake is one of the strongest earthquakes in Asia ever recorded. The reason why it caused such a serious disaster was that, on the one hand, the rapid rise of the seabed caused strong water shocks, and on the other hand, The region's lack of disaster relief preparation and response has led to an increase in the death toll. Although the subsequent global relief effort raised more than $14 billion in donations, money cannot fully compensate for the pain of loss for those victims who lost their loved ones and homes.
According to historical data, Indonesia is located at the junction of the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Alpine Belt, which makes it an area with frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities. Since 1900, only the 1960 Chile earthquake and the 1964 Alaska earthquake have had larger markers than this earthquake. Looking back at history, it seems that under certain geological conditions, such emergencies could happen again at any time.
The energy released in this earthquake was equivalent to 21 megajoules, equivalent to all the explosions in World War II combined, but its impact permeated the world like a huge wave.
The tsunami was so powerful that it was felt thousands of kilometers away in southern Africa. Despite the great distance between Zimbabwe and Indonesia, it also felt a small tidal fluctuation 16 hours later. The situation becomes even more confusing because undersea earthquakes not only change the oscillations of the ocean, but also cause tiny changes in the Earth's rotation.
As scientists delved into the root cause of the disaster, they discovered that many deep-ocean terrains had also been changed by the earthquake, even including volcanic activity hidden beneath the sea. The Self-Defense Forces and scientific research institutions conducted investigations on the seabed after the earthquake. The results showed that the earthquake had a profound impact on the seabed topography and also caused a reassessment of potential earthquakes in the future.
Areas once considered low risk are now under the threat of earthquakes. How can we better prepare for the future?
These events make people wonder how to avoid similar disasters in the future? Although the rescue work responded quickly, it was difficult to completely address the suffering and needs of so many people. Advances in science and technology may help humans predict the next major change in a timely manner, but to truly resist natural disasters, human society still needs to work together in policies, education and environmental protection. If similar earthquakes occur in the future, what kind of disaster will it be?
