The tsunami in South-East Asia – a retrospective analysis of the management of an apocalyptic natural disaster

Abstract

The tsunami that affected the coasts of the Indian ocean on December 26, 2004 claimed close to 226 000 lives, mainly on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, which suffered overwhelming devastation. This article asks whether a tsunami warning system is needed in the Indian Ocean, where the probability of experiencing a similar catastrophe is very small. In addition, other alternatives, including land use planning and education focused on tsunami risk management, are presented. Their application could considerably reduce financial and human losses if a disaster of this nature was to occur again. Keywords: tsunami, natural hazard, hazard, vulnerability, risk management, warning system, land use planning, education