Tsunamis are giant and long ocean waves that are caused by an underwater volcanic eruption or earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7. During an underwater earthquake, sections of the ocean floor are shifted, which forms a series of destructive waves. Their speed can reach 1000 km / h, and the height - up to 50 m and above. About 80% of tsunamis originate in the Pacific Ocean.
Tsunami in Thailand (2004), Phuket
December 26, 2004 - this day went down in history as the day of the tragedy of gigantic proportions, which took a huge number of lives. At this time, the tsunami occurred in Phuket (2004). Patong, Karon, other beaches suffered the most. At 07:58 local time, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of up to 9.3 occurred at the bottom of the Indian Ocean near Simelue Island. It set off a large series of giant waves that people around the world still remember with fear and regret. Water killers in a few hours took the lives of about 300 thousand people and caused terrible destruction on the shores of Asia.
Thailand was one of the countries that suffered hugelosses from the onslaught of the tsunami. The disaster hit the western part of the coast. In 2004, the tsunami on the beaches of Phuket completely destroyed the infrastructure: hotels, clubs, bars. These were the most famous holiday destinations among tourists from all over the world - Karon, Patong, Kamala, Kata. It is estimated that several hundred people died.
The story of the beginning of the great catastrophe
It was a typical morning when many were still in bed, but some were already relaxing on the beach. Powerful tremors occurred at the bottom of the ocean, which led to the displacement of water. Underground strikes were completely imperceptible, and therefore no one even suspected the beginning of the disaster. At a speed of 1000 km / h, the waves rushed to the shores of Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Somalia. This is how the tsunami in Phuket began (2004). Karon Beach was among the places most affected.
As we approached land, the height of the water flow in some places was about 40 meters. The tsunami in Phuket in 2004 had a very powerful destructive force, even exceeding the explosion of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Approximately an hour after the underwater earthquake, strange phenomena began to occur on land: somewhere the water moved 1.5 km from the coast, the sound of the surf ceased, animals and birds began to run away in fear (to the mountains). People did not immediately understand the whole essence of the danger and collected shells from the shallow ocean floor. Since the 15 m high killer wave did not have a white crest, it was not immediately noticed from the shore. When the Tsunami in Phuket (2004)came to the beach, it was already too late to escape. With incredible speed, the waves crushed everything in their path. Their destructive power allowed them to penetrate two kilometers inland.
When the movement of the wave stopped, the water rushed back very quickly. The biggest danger was not the water itself, but debris, trees, cars, concrete, rebar, billboards - everything that threatened to take a person's life.
2004 Phuket tsunami characteristics
The scene is the western end of the Pacific quake belt, where approximately 80% of the world's largest aftershocks have occurred. There was a shift of the Indian plate under the Burmese, where the length of the fault was about 1200 kilometers. The catastrophe was incredibly large, since the Indian plate at the bottom of the ocean was common with the territory of Australia, and the Burmese is considered part of the Eurasian one. The plate fault was divided into two phases with a gap of several minutes. The interaction speed was two kilometers per second, a fault was created in the direction of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Phuket hasn't seen such a devastating tsunami in eighty years. Scientists say it will take centuries before the joined plates move again. According to seismologists, the tsunami in Phuket (2004) gained strength, which was equal to the energy of five megatons of TNT.
The consequences of the tragedy
The consequences of the disaster were simply terrible. Phuket after the tsunami (2004) is a terrifying picture. The cars were in the lobby of the hotel, the boat was on the roof of the house, and the tree was inpool. That's what the water did. The buildings that stood on the coast were completely destroyed. Thailand paradise - Phuket - tsunami (2004), the photo of which can be seen in the article, turned into hell. From under the rubble of furniture, houses and cars, the bodies of dead people and animals could be seen. The survivors were in such a state of shock that they could not leave the scene of the tragedy. The tsunami in Thailand in 2004 (Phuket) was not a single one: the wave returned twice and took the lives of 8.5 thousand people with it. One of the elite islands of Phi Phi is completely submerged. A large number of the victims are children.
Disaster recovery
Immediately after the water left, rescuers began to take action to eliminate the consequences. The military and police were quickly mobilized, and camps for the victims were set up. Since the island has a very hot climate, the risk of infectious contamination of water and air grew every hour. Therefore, it was necessary to find all the dead, identify them if possible, and bury them. Mobilized groups worked for days without rest. Most countries of the world did not remain indifferent and sent human and material resources to help the Thai people.
The estimated death toll in Phuket during the 2004 tsunami was 8,500 people, where 5,400 were foreign nationals from more than forty countries. It was the deadliest tsunami ever known.
Conclusions of scientists and experts
After the disaster, it was necessary to analyze the sources of the tragedy and take actionsecurity. The Thai authorities have joined the international program for tracking phenomena in the ocean depths. Alert systems were created for residents in case of danger, and training was carried out on the rules of behavior during a siren signal. The target group of such measures were not only local residents, but also tourists.
Huge efforts were expended to renew the infrastructure of the social sphere and tourism. Buildings were built on the island of durable reinforced concrete, where the walls were erected parallel or at an oblique angle to the expected tsunami movement.
Years after the tragedy
Today, thirteen years have passed since the tragedy that claimed approximately three hundred thousand lives, left pain and suffering in the souls of people around the world. During this time, Thailand was able to fully restore the affected areas. A year after the tragedy, residents who lost their roof over their heads were provided with new housing. The buildings were built with materials that, in case of danger, could withstand natural disasters.
Today tourists have almost forgotten the tragedy and with even greater enthusiasm go to rest on the shores of the kingdom. After the tsunami in Phuket (2004), Karon Beach, Patong and all other popular places have become even more beautiful. The best buildings and structures were built. And only warning signs about danger bring people back to that time of natural disaster.
Russian tsunami survivors
Phuket in 2004, Patong and other tourist beaches are places of rest andmany Russian tourists. After the tragedy, an emergency staff worked around the clock in the Russian embassy in Bangkok. The headquarters received about 2,000 phone calls in one day. The first list included about 1,500 Russians who may have been on the island at the time of the disaster.
Until January 6, every person on the list was searched. From the very first day of the tragedy, all the victims were helped by volunteers - Russians living in Thailand, as well as employees of travel agencies. Gradually, survivors were found, in parallel, a list was compiled for evacuation to the flight of the Russian Emergencies Ministry. In this way, it was possible to send home about eighty Russians and citizens of neighboring countries.
A list of missing persons was also compiled. On January 8, the compilation of the list was completed, the search continued. The dead were identified for about a year. Later, people were no longer considered missing, but dead.
Is it possible to come to Thailand after the global disaster?
After the disaster, Thai authorities and US scientists installed the world's largest deep-sea system for early detection of tsunamis. A warning about an approaching disaster occurs a few hours before the start of the disaster. Also, after the tragedy, a system was worked out to evacuate people away from giant waves. Even on an island as small as Phi Phi, it is possible to evacuate to the mountains.
The pre-alarm system was tried on April 11, 2012, when the tsunami hit again (everyone wasevacuated, this tragedy did not bring such terrible consequences as in 2004). In addition, scientists predict that decades will pass before the next natural disaster.
For those who are still afraid to relax near the sea, experienced travelers are advised to go to the north of the country, where the worst thing that can happen is overflowing the banks of the Chao Prai or Mekong rivers. This is rather unpleasant, but not fatal.
What should I do if there is a tsunami?
The first sign of the approach of giant waves is an earthquake. To date, the security system of Thailand, detecting changes in the depths of the ocean, will signal the danger. In no case can not ignore the sharp ebbs of water. In such a situation, you need to act very quickly.
If there are shocks or there is a warning of an approaching tsunami, you must:
- collect all valuables, warn as many people as possible about the danger, hastily leave the territory;
- hide from giant waves in the mountains or areas far from the coast;
- pay attention to the signs showing the shortest path to the hill;
- the first wave may be small, so you need to stay in a safe place for about two hours, until it is completely calm.
After the devastating 2004 tsunami, the government overhauled the security system, and today the risk of hazards has been reduced.
