Home / Editor's Pick /

On this day... The Boxing Day tsunami of 2004

09:00
26 December 2024

On this day...
The Boxing Day tsunami of 2004

Tsunami damageThe scene 21 years ago in Aceh, Indonesia in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. - © picture alliance

21 years ago today, a powerful 9.1 Magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, causing a catastrophic and deadly tsunami.

The earthquake, which lasted for an unrelenting 10 hours, ruptured a 900 mile fault line on the Indian-Australian tectonic plate boundary, causing the seafloor to rise by 40 metres triggering the colossal tsunami.

Within 20 minutes, 100-foot waves had crashed into Banda Aceh, Indonesia, killing over 170,000 people and turning the city to rubble.

Over the next two hours, the tsunami sent 500 mph waves slamming into Thailand, India and Sri Lanka killing thousands more. After eight hours, deaths even occurred in South Africa after strong waves and swells caught swimmers by surprise.

Overall, nearly 230,000 people were killed in what remains one of the most-deadliest natural disasters in history.

The earthquake responsible for triggering the tsunami became the most powerful quake in the 21st century and the third-largest in recorded history.

Around £5.7 billion in aid was provided to the affected countries, raised by the Indonesian government, charity projects, private donors, and NGOs.

A tsunami is a natural disaster caused by earthquakes which hit at sea and cause a large displacement of water.

The name originates in Japan, a country which regularly sees tsunamis due to its position on the Ring of Fire. The tsunami of Boxing Day 2004 remains the worst instance in history.

Did a tsunami hit Florida in 2023?read more
Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Split weather map of the UK and Ireland. On the left, rainfall radar shows widespread showers over much of Ireland, Wales, and northern England, with temperatures between 15–18°C; sunnier symbols appear in parts of Scotland and southern England. On the right, wind gust map highlights strong winds, peaking at around 40 mph in Dublin and Aberdeen, with 30–35 mph gusts in Cork and Cardiff, and lighter winds near 23 mph in London and Liverpool.
Wednesday 10 September 2025

Yet more rain and winds

Unsettled midweek weather
Split weather map of the UK and Ireland highlighting strong winds on Monday, 15 September. The left side shows gust speeds, with 55 mph around Dublin and Liverpool, and 45 mph near Cardiff and London, linked to a low-pressure system over the North Sea. The right side shows wind warning levels, with yellow (level 1) across much of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and orange (level 2) in western Ireland and parts of western Wales. A wind warning symbol is displayed in the centre.
Sunday 14 September 2025

Gales again

Continued warnings to start the week
Sunday 7 September 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Capturing a stormy week
All weather news
This might also interest you
Sunday 17 August 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Summer shots from a warm week
Friday 15 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Split with cooler north, hot south
Weather map of the UK and Ireland showing scattered showers with cloudy patches across much of the region, especially around western and northern areas. Sunshine symbols appear over London, Cardiff, and parts of southern England, while temperatures range from 17°C to 18°C in most places. Areas of heavier rain are visible over the Atlantic to the west.
Friday 29 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Unsettled conditions into the weekend
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement