In Banda Aceh, the landmass closest to the quake's epicenter, tsunami waves topped 100 feet. The tsunami's waves traveled across the Indian Ocean at 500 mph, the speed of a jet plane.
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The tsunami struck the west coast of Phuket island, flooding the island and causing damage to almost all the major beaches such as Patong, Karon, Kamala, and Kata beach. The resort area of Khao Lak some 80 km north of Phuket was hit far worse with 3,950 confirmed deaths.
On 26 December 2004, the Indian Ocean Tsunami struck the coast of Thailand. Surachat Lemlae was selling fish from his boat when the tsunami wave hit, leaving him fighting for his life. “My boat capsized, throwing me against the wall, under water “. Read Surachat's story on surviving the tsunami.
Get to high ground as far inland as possible. Be alert to signs of a tsunami, such as a sudden rise or draining of ocean waters. Listen to emergency information and alerts. Always follow the instructions from local emergency managers.
However, the tsunami that followed killed more people than any other tsunami in recorded history, with 227,898 dead or missing in 14 countries across the Indian Ocean. The worst hit country was Indonesia with 167,540 listed as dead ormissing and damages of $4,451.6 million.