The 2004 Earthquake was the second largest ever recorded in human history. It created an extremely large tsunami which killed about 260,000 people, spreading from Northern Sumatra, in Indonesia, all the way to Somalia, in Africa. The earthquake was triggered on December 26th, 2004, without any warning. It sprouted just west of the northern tip of Sumatra. Quickly, a massive tsunami was formed, drifting across the Indian Ocean, slamming into unprepared countries such as Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Somalia. The tsunami was devastating, mercilessly destroying everything in its path. Many coastal communities were immediately destroyed, killing hundreds of thousands of people. The tsunami, on a one to ten scale, in terms of size and strength, was ranked as a 5.8, which is really strong. The tsunami crippled the economies of the countries included in the tsunami. Along with the initial sweep, the tsunami also caused lots of flooding, disabling roads, surviving buildings from the previous earthquake, and other types of infrastructure. It also destroyed agricultural structures, like farms. All of these things combined dealt a huge blow to the economy on the areas effected, as a lot of trade, transportation, and businesses were disabled. Buildings near the coastline at risk of being hit by a tsunami are frequently built with reinforced foundations, to ensure that they will not be immediately destroyed by tsunamis, and at least survive long enough for the people inside to escape.
Another impact of tsunamis in Indonesia, besides economy, is the culture. Many native religions in Indonesia speak of tsunamis. One religion speaks of the Earth shaking, followed by a massive wall of water. During a recent tsunami, some native islanders escaped an incoming tsunami, because of their traditions, as they recognized the signs of a tsunami. But unlike the native islanders, the city of Banda Aceh was nearly wiped out. One of the few, remaining buildings that survived the disaster, was a mosque, which many did not see as a coincidence, but a sign, and many of the locals have converted or Islam since then.
Another impact of tsunamis in Indonesia, besides economy, is the culture. Many native religions in Indonesia speak of tsunamis. One religion speaks of the Earth shaking, followed by a massive wall of water. During a recent tsunami, some native islanders escaped an incoming tsunami, because of their traditions, as they recognized the signs of a tsunami. But unlike the native islanders, the city of Banda Aceh was nearly wiped out. One of the few, remaining buildings that survived the disaster, was a mosque, which many did not see as a coincidence, but a sign, and many of the locals have converted or Islam since then.