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Shocking of the Sea: Do you know how this earthquake affected the world?
On December 26, 2004, at 07:58:53 local time, a world-shaking earthquake occurred near the west coast of Aceh in Sumatra, northern Indonesia. The epicenter was located in the sea near Indonesia, with a magnitude of 9.2 to 9.3. The earthquake, known as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, was caused by the rupture of a fault between the Burmese and Indian plates. The intensity of the earthquake in the epicenter area reached up to level IX, followed by a tsunami with huge waves up to 30 meters high. This is also known to the world as the "Hakone Tsunami" or Asian tsunami. The disaster killed more than 227,000 people, affected coastal communities in 14 countries, and caused severe damage in Aceh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, India, and the Kahan region of Thailand.
This earthquake is the most serious natural disaster of the 21st century and the deadliest tsunami disaster in history.
The impact of this earthquake was not limited to countries surrounding Indonesia, but many places as far away as the other side of the world also felt its vibrations. According to scientists' analysis, the earth's vibration amplitude can reach 10 millimeters, and can even trigger subsequent earthquakes in places such as Alaska that are far away from the epicenter of the earthquake. This series of chain reactions has attracted global attention, especially in terms of humanitarian relief needs. The amount of donations has exceeded 14 billion US dollars, demonstrating the care and support of people around the world for the affected residents.
Causes of earthquakes
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was initially recorded as having an epicenter 160 kilometers off the coast of Aceh, with a depth of 30 kilometers, and affected areas including Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The complexity of the shock wave arises not only from a single fault but also from additional "umbrella faults" that cause the seabed to rise violently in seconds, resulting in higher-sided and larger waves. This phenomenon was clearly demonstrated in the destruction of the Indonesian town of Lokna.
Indonesia is located at the junction of the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Alps. Frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities within its territory are the source of this disaster.
An earthquake from 2002 is believed to be a foreshock of this event. The nature of this earthquake has similar causes to most of the huge earthquakes recorded in recent years. Both are the release of huge tension between the plates.
Global impact after the earthquake
According to data on the energy released by the earthquake, the energy released by this earthquake was equivalent to 1.1 billion joules. The impact of the earthquake spread all over the world, and the impact of crustal movement was even felt in some areas of the United States. This wave force lasted for several months and provided valuable data for geological research around the world, especially for understanding the Earth's interior.
In February 2005, the aftermath of the earthquake was still being measured even seven days later, showing the long-term effects of this natural disaster.
With the occurrence of this earthquake, the daily operations of the Earth were also slightly affected. Theoretical models show that the earthquake shortened the Earth's rotation time by 2.68 microseconds, even if such a change would soon be covered up by other natural factors. .
Post-disaster response measures
After the disaster, the whole world was inevitably affected. The severe impact of the tsunami and earthquake prompted people to call for strengthening the global tsunami warning system. In fact, before 2004, there were still some omissions in the construction of the ocean forecast system, and this disaster is a new starting point that will lead to more in-depth development of ocean and earthquake research. Areas considered low risk may need to be reassessed in the future to avoid a recurrence of similar tragedies.
This earthquake has become an opportunity for us to reflect on our awareness of disaster preparedness. Do you think we are sufficiently prepared to face the next potential disaster?
