Natural disaster

Indian Ocean tsunami

26 December 2004 · Banda Aceh, Sumatra

Background

A powerful undersea earthquake near Sumatra generates tsunamis that affect many coasts around the Indian Ocean. Banda Aceh is devastated; the map location marks this affected area on land, not the epicentre.

Estimates & margins

Deaths225,000 – 230,000(most cited: 227,898)
Many victims remained missing, so sources differ slightly in totals and in whether missing people are counted as dead.
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami · 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

Historians disagree on exact figures; the range shown reflects the scholarly literature.

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