INDONESIA: The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that struck on December 26th, 2004, triggered one of the biggest humanitarian crises in decades. The tremor had a magnitude of 9.15, making it the third most powerful in the past century.
It left more than 230,000 people dead or missing in 13 Indian Ocean nations. Indonesia was the worst affected, with 168,000 people in Aceh province dead or missing - as of recent estimates.
In India there were: 12,407 dead and 3,874 missing; in Indonesia 131,029 dead and 37,000 missing; inSri Lanka, 38,940 people died or are missing and in Thailand, 5,395 died and 2,817 are missing.
Scientists estimate the quake caused 1,200 km of faultline to slip up to about 20 metres. The unstable faultline has since triggered hundreds of strong quakes, including one of 8.7 magnitude in March, and is likely to set off more large quakes, researchers say.
According to the UN, donors have pledged $6.7 billion (€5.5 billion) for the Indian Ocean nations affected, and about $2.7 billion of that has been contributed or committed.
The giant waves, measuring at least 10 metres high in some places, stripped coastlines of buildings, trees and sand, dumping large amounts of debris on coral reefs. Rice paddies and wells have been ruined by salt water and pollution of water supplies by toxic chemicals and sewage will remain a long-term problem for survivors.
