In 2004, there was one of the three most devastating earthquakes in its history of observing this phenomenon in general. The magnitude of the earthquake is 9.3 points. It happened on the eve of the New Year, on December 26, at about one in the morning in the Indian Ocean, near the island of Simeulue.

The only stronger earthquake in history happened only once - in 1960 in Chile. It had a magnitude of 9.5. But even this disaster was not as devastating as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Earthquake prevalence

According to rough estimates, the elements claimed the lives of 300 thousand people. Probably, there could be many more, but it is impossible to calculate the exact number of victims. Many may have simply been washed into the ocean, so the bodies have not been found. The population of 18 countries was affected, including Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Seychelles, South Africa, Kenya, etc.

The echoes of the earthquake reached the distant shores of Australia. The waves traveled a colossal distance to cause damage even on the other side of the world. The destruction occurred at a distance of 6.9 thousand km from the epicenter of the disaster. The colossal magnitude of the Earth's underwater shifts led to the formation of monstrous waves that rose to a height of 15 meters or more. They washed away all living things on the nearby islands and rolled in a deadly storm to distant continents.

Disaster Power

The hypocenter - the point where the lithospheric shift itself occurs - is fixed at a place with geographic coordinates 3° 19′ N. latitude, 95° 51.24′ E e. It is located in the infamous Pacific Ring of Fire. This unfavorable territory accounts for 80% of all earthquakes that generally occur in the world. The depth where the earthquake occurred is 30 km from the surface of the oceans.

Even such a thickness of water could not muffle the power of tremors. The tsunami waves that they raised in the ocean had a force of 5 megatons of TNT. This power can only be compared with twice the power of all the explosions of World War II, along with the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Waves on nearby islands covered up to 4 km of land, burying entire cities under them, and then washing them into the ocean. Nothing worse has happened for at least several centuries.

What happened to the lithosphere

In the hypocenter of the disaster, sharp and very large shifts of tectonic plates took place. Two plates shifted: Indian and Eurasian. The rock reared up sharply. A giant fault was formed with a length of 1200-1600 km. The seabed has risen in this place by several meters. This provoked the formation of a colossal tsunami.

Nature's Warnings

The described movement of the earth's crust occurred in 2 stages. The break between shocks was approximately several hours. Despite this, the inhabitants of all affected countries were taken by surprise. Interestingly, the animals immediately felt the approach of trouble. Birds and animals left all coastal zones and went deep into the continents. But people didn't pay attention to it.

As a result, 235 thousand people died, up to 100 thousand went missing. The material damage is in the billions of dollars. According to the UN, rescue operation and the elimination of the damage caused by the earthquake are the most costly in the history of mankind.

Many tourists who plan their trip to Thailand are concerned about the safety of their vacation. Issues in a global sense: tsunamis, typhoons and the most important this moment- the political situation in the country.

What is important to know about tsunamis?

Many remember the tragedy that occurred in 2004 in Thailand. It was one of the largest tsunamis in Southeast Asia in the last 100 years. The element claimed the lives of more than 300,000 people of different nationalities, covering 18 countries with its destructive power, including Africa. It was after this earthquake that the UN decided to establish the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System.

Thailand also joined this project, despite the fact that it is not, like the Philippines and Indonesia, "sources" of natural disasters. The memory of the sad event (which Buddha forbid, may be repeated) motivates local authorities not only to buy expensive equipment for tsunami research, install sirens on the beaches and buoys that monitor sharp low tides, but also carry out information work with the population and tourists.

In simple terms, about the tsunami: there was an underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean, the tectonic plates moved, the seabed rose several meters, hence the destructive tsunami waves, 15 meters high. If storm waves can be a couple of hundred kilometers long, then a tsunami can be a couple of thousand. By the way, the first tsunami wave may not be as strong as subsequent ones.

How to understand about the approaching tsunami and what should be done?

1) if you notice a sharp and large ebb, that even the fish do not keep up with the movement of water and remain on the sand - this is one of the factors of an impending tsunami
2) if birds and pets start behaving strangely and tend to run away to higher ground, another sign of natural disaster.
3) in many coastal and beach areas there are signs indicating the shortest route to a hill or an evacuation point.
4) there is a time interval between an earthquake and a tsunami (it can even be several hours), so you can travel far from the coast by transport.

Are there typhoons in Thailand?

In addition to tsunamis, East Asia is also famous for typhoons, they are especially active from May to November. A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that can cause not only heavy downpours and winds, but also storm surges.

Typhoons come to Thailand more often from China, the Philippines and Indonesia, just in time for the rainy season, which is active in September-October. Basically, the entire force of the typhoon remains in the sea, only cloudy weather, heavy rains, a slight wind, and rough seas reach the land of Thailand.

Where is it safer to relax in Thailand?

In the bay And specifically in Pattaya, in Hua Hin, on Koh Chang, Samet and other places that are located in the bay of the South China Sea.
The islands of Phuket, Phi Phi, mainland Krabi, are washed by the Andaman Sea, which flows into the Indian Ocean, and it was there that the earthquake occurred in 2004, which greatly affected the Kingdom of Siam. Yes, and in the rainy season, it is in these places that you can often see red flags on the beaches - a warning, it is dangerous to swim in the sea during this period.

Political situation in Thailand

But today, many tourists who plan to fly to Thailand are not worried about natural disasters, but about the political situation in the country. Despite the misunderstanding and problems between the ruling party and the opposition, despite the rallies, strikes of farmers, military with special equipment in different parts of Bangkok, the situation in resort areas calm. Everything works, excursions are held, life in the sabai-sabai style goes its own way. And the capital itself lives its own life, there are large shopping centers, restaurants, markets, nightclubs.

Of course, due to the rallies in Bangkok, Thailand's tourism industry is suffering losses, but even in this situation there are advantages for travelers: pleasant discounts on hotels and air travel, sales in shopping malls, fewer tourists in popular resorts.

Tsunami in Thailand 2004.

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In 2004, a world-famous and tragic event took place, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, left about a million people homeless and brought irreparable damage and destruction.

On the one hand, this story is similar to the plot of a Hollywood movie - a disaster. But in Hollywood films, the characters usually learn about the disaster in advance. That's the whole point of the movie. people waiting for judgment day.

But in real life, things are a little different. Trouble comes suddenly. On a quiet tropical island in the shade of palm trees on idyllic sand, sipping a mango cocktail, no one suspected that an underwater earthquake had occurred somewhere in distant Sumatra. And that it has something to do with them.

On December 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake of 9.1 - 9.3 on the Richter scale occurred on the western coast of Sumatra. Not only the island of Phuket and the regions of Thailand were affected. Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Somalia, Australia and other countries suffered…

Simple human curiosity also played a cruel joke in this. When a large wave approached, a strong ebb began, the water receded several meters, exposing the seabed. Hundreds of onlookers with a completely absent sense of self-preservation began to collect shells and examine the seabed. The wave didn't keep itself waiting... Silent does not tolerate stupid mistakes.
Our ancestors - whether Greeks, Scandinavians or Chinese - believed in sea gods, before whom a person is powerless, apparently not in vain. The wave swept over those who went too far from the shore. It was impossible to survive.

Another reminder that 'Human' no matter what meaning we put into this word, ‘ nobody' compared to the elements of nature. Our life is too fleeting and too insignificant compared to the scale of our planet.

In addition, I bring to your attention a selection of video reports from the scene. Tsunami 2004

Koh Phi Phi tsunami 2004.

Can Pattaya be hit by a tsunami?

A considerable number of tourists are concerned about the question: is it possible off the coast of Thailand and specifically - in their beloved Pattaya - to become a victim of a tsunami? The annual news from the Philippines and other paradises about the destructive power of the elements upsets and makes you keep your ears open. Portal "Abroad" decided to take a break: we went to a meeting with Pattaya meteorologists who monitor the state of the sea day and night

Geography lesson

To begin with, let's remember the school geography course and carefully look at the map of Thailand. What do we see? From the west, its coast is washed by the Andaman Sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean, and from the east - by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand, which belongs to the Pacific Ocean. The main focus of underwater earthquakes that lead to tsunamis is located in the Indian Ocean. Thus, the destructive wave can only affect the western coast of Thailand, where the resorts of Phuket and Phi Phi are located, and will not affect the eastern coast, on which Pattaya is located, at all. This means that Pattaya is definitely not threatened by a tsunami: the Gulf of Thailand reliably protects it from sea disasters. In addition, it does not differ in depth, so you can forget about high waves. Their maximum height in the resort is one to two meters.

Seismic system of Pattaya. Photo: Sasha Kaverina
Pattaya has a meteorological center that is vigilant! Photo: Sasha Kaverina

Weather forecast

The risk of a tsunami in Pattaya is minimal, according to meteorologists Pupa and Blue, who work at a local weather station. Watching weather conditions conducted around the clock. True, the main attention is paid to the amount of precipitation, wind direction and temperature indicators. No one is worried about the tsunami here: according to station workers, Pattaya is located far from seismically hazardous areas.

Well, what if suddenly? For this "suddenly" the weather station has a special seismic system. Now it is closed with an impressive castle and carefully fenced. However, the meteorologists themselves have never seen it in action.We won't bore you with technical details. Just be aware that there is some sort of transmitter under the sturdy cover. In the event of a tsunami, he will report this to the central office in Bangkok and then transfer orders from there to local services. And those, in turn, will carry out a quick evacuation of the population and meet the elements fully armed.

To find out more, you can visit the weather station yourself and ask local weather forecasters. Which, by the way, wear skirts and keep a mini-nursery for animals at work. weather station r located on a hill Pratumnak Andopen to visitors daily from 8:00 to 16:00.

Warning system

The devastating tsunami of 2004 opened the eyes of the Thai authorities to the fact that the country does not have any disaster warning system. This gap was quickly corrected by the creation of a special tsunami detection system in the Indian Ocean in 2006. In the event of underwater disturbances, it will instantly transmit information to a tower located on

12.12.2016

More than 10 years have passed since a terrible disaster happened - a tsunami in Thailand. What people had to endure on December 26, 2004 (it was on this day that this terrible event took place) cannot be expressed in words. Waves of monstrous height, rushing at great speed to the shores of Asia, swept away everything in their path: people, animals, houses, cars, trees and everything else. The elements brought a lot of grief: more than 300 thousand people died, of which 8,500 people were in Thailand.

World history and those people who managed to survive then keep in their memory the tragic events of that day. Let's remember how it was.

How did the global tragedy happen?

To the question about when there was a tsunami in Thailand, which brought a lot of trouble not only local residents, but also to numerous vacationers in this country, the events of 2004 will immediately come to mind. It was the worst catastrophe in the modern history of the country.. A similar one was recorded on the territory of this state more than 700 years ago.

How did it all begin and what caused this global tragedy?

The usual morning of the December day did not portend any trouble. Everything was as usual. People were doing their usual things: someone else was sleeping, someone was already working, and someone decided to go to the coast. Meanwhile, at 00:58 UTC and 7:58 local in the Indian Ocean near the Indonesian island of Simeulue an earthquake of unprecedented magnitude. Its magnitude was 9.1-9.3 points! Tremors provoked the emergence of a series of incredibly high, powerful and fast waves, which a few hours later rushed ferociously to the shores of Asian countries (Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Somalia), including Thailand.

It's scary to imagine, but the speed at which the waves rushed was about 1000 km / h . Approaching shallow water, they slowed down a little, as if gaining strength before delivering a cruel blow, and acquired simply monstrous dimensions - sometimes even up to 40 meters in height!

The earthquake in Thailand was practically not felt, so people did not even suspect that an angry element would soon fall on the coastal lands. Nobody knew that soon West Coast, where Phuket is located, Krabi province and the small islands adjacent to them, will soon face an unstoppable natural disaster. Since there were no phenomena of such monstrous proportions here before, the tsunami rescue system did not actually work.

About an hour later, after the fatal earthquake in the Indian Ocean, something inexplicable began to happen. The birds began to fly away from the shore, the animals also scattered in anxiety away from the sea. Even the sound of the surf is silent. When the water “left” and the seabed was exposed, even then people could not think that this was a harbinger of impending disaster.. Interested in beautiful shells and fish left on land, they began to go to the shallow bottom.

Even at the moment when a huge 15-meter wave rushed to the shore, no one saw it, since it did not have a characteristic white crest, which is why it simply merged with the horizon. Only when she came close to the coast did the panic begin. But, it was already too late, because no one could surpass the speed of the moving wall of water and have time to escape.

The wave easily swept away everything that stood in its way: people, animals, cars, houses, uprooted trees, pulled out metal fittings, tore off electrical wires under voltage, crushed concrete. And more misfortune was created not so much by water, but by what was in it.

Ocean waters affected hundreds of meters of land, and in some places - up to 2 kilometers.

The terrible consequences of the tsunami

What the raging water element did was terrible. The consequences of the 2004 tsunami in Thailand are incredibly tragic, but Thailand was much more fortunate due to the shallower Andaman Sea than, for example, the island of Sumatra. Those who were farther from the coast and were able to survive this nightmare saw a shocking picture when the water left.

Various huge objects were in the most unexpected places: giant trees in houses, motor boats on the rooftops, cars in the spacious lobby of the hotel… There were no streets as such. Everything became like a dump of fragments of furniture, cars, bricks, trees. You can look at the video that then appeared to the eyes of people.

But, the worst thing is the many bodies of dead people and animals. According to official figures, 8,500 people died in Thailand as a result of the tsunami. 5400 are tourists from different countries of the world, of which about half are children.

It is surprising that an earthquake of monstrous force literally pierced the planet through and through. The vibration energy was so powerful that some small islands near Sumatra moved to the southwest by about 20 meters, and the planet itself changed its rotation.

The government of the state, concerned about possible outbreaks of infections, urgently sent forces to search for the bodies in order to identify them and bury them.

The grief brought by the 2004 tsunami cannot be measured in words or numbers. It will forever remain in the memory of those who lost their loved ones.

Let's not talk about the fact that many survivors lost their shelter, clothing, food and any means of subsistence. Many countries of the world began to send humanitarian aid.

Today, Thailand has fully recovered from the tragedy. According to special requirements, new housing was built on the coast, additional measures were introduced to prevent devastating consequences, if suddenly the population had to survive the tsunami. And only the memory of people keeps the events of that day - December 26, 2004.

How high is the risk of a tsunami

In Thailand, tsunamis are rare events. In order for a monstrous force and wave height to form, several conditions must simultaneously coincide:

• the epicenter of the earthquake is located close to the bottom surface;
• the magnitude of the earthquake is more than 7 points;
• the shock from the earthquake entered into resonance with the vibrations of the water;
• perceptible vertical displacement relative to each other of the bottom parts.

Often, tsunamis are not even felt by people, but are simply recorded by special devices.

rescue system

In 2004, in Thailand and neighboring countries, which were attacked by killer waves, the danger alert system was not properly debugged. But, after those events, increased attention was paid to this issue.

Today, the rescue system in Thailand consists of two parts. This is a warning of impending danger and the evacuation of the population and tourists. In 2012, the system was tested in Phuket. The alert went off, most of the people went up to the high ground. At least no one wandered along the shore.

What to do in the event of a tsunami

Of course, it is better not to get into such situations at all, but the element is the element and you need to be on the alert. While in Thailand and having heard a warning about a possible tsunami, you should do the following:

1. Don't panic by any means. The state has a well-established tsunami early warning system. And the probability that a repetition of the 2004 scenario is possible is negligible.
2. If it is suddenly noticed that the sea has “receded”, and there was no warning of danger, leave the coastal zones immediately, following the signs.
3. It is necessary to go as far as possible from the sea and climb higher ground - for example, on the roofs of multi-storey buildings.
4. It should be remembered that there are always several waves, and do not go down ahead of time. Sometimes the break between waves can be more than an hour.
5. Even if everything has calmed down, you should not approach the coastal zones for as long as possible.

The 2004 tsunami once again proved to mankind that, despite its inflated sense of superiority and scientific and technological progress, it can be completely defenseless against the majesty of the elements. Perhaps more attention should be paid to the safety and protection of humans from various natural hazards. than to develop another "important", absolutely useless invention?