On Boxing Day, December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, causing massive tsunami waves across the Indian Ocean. Waves as high as 51 meters (167 ft) hit coastal areas in the Aceh province of Indonesia. took place, and floodwaters spread five kilometers (three miles) inland. Winds reaching speeds of up to 800 kilometers per hour (500 mph) These tsunami waves caused devastation in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives and India. Its impact was seen in Somalia and Tanzania and the waves reached Mexico, Chile and even the Arctic. Not only did people lose their lives due to it, more than 17 lakh people were displaced and about 10 billion dollars were lost. There was an economic loss of Rs. Children were especially seriously affected, and thousands of them were either killed or orphaned. A wake-up call for humanity, UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang has described the tsunami as “the first of the 21st century and the most devastating global disaster in recent history.” He urged countries to take action to ensure the safety of future generations and prevent disasters. Fulfill our commitment to develop sustainable development strategies to build resilience and preparedness to deal with disasters. Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, considered the tsunami a “wake-up call for humanity”. “It shows us that the impact of such low-frequency, but high-impact threats can span entire global systems and geographies,” he said. Global cooperation is needed for progress. This tragedy has resulted in unprecedented global cooperation. Armida Salsiyah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission (ESCAP), said, “After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, it became clear that borders “Closing problems require solutions that reach across borders.” In the two decades following the tragedy, the international community worked together, making significant progress in disaster preparedness. In 2005, At a meeting held under UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (OC-UNESCO), countries together established the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS). Currently, 27 National Tsunami Warning Centers exist, which can issue alerts of earthquake-triggered events within minutes. According to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), only 25 percent of coastal communities in high-risk areas were exposed to tsunamis in 2004. Earlier the facility to get information was available, but now this facility has reached 75 percent of the coastal communities. Additionally, UN initiatives such as the Tsunami Preparedness Program and the Tsunami Project are providing life-saving knowledge and resources to local leaders and communities. Additionally, the Multi-Contributor Trust Fund is developing a critical early warning system for tsunami, disaster and climate preparedness for all. Growing risks from climate change But the challenges are becoming increasingly complex. Climate change has increased the frequency and severity of water-related disasters, which are often exacerbated by geophysical events such as earthquakes or volcanoes. .ESCAP estimates that 68 million people in 43 Asian and Pacific countries, as well as 2.3 trillion dollars worth of infrastructure located along coastal areas, remain at serious risk. In the Indian Ocean region alone, more than 2,600 education facilities, 1,200 ports and 140 power plants are in a vulnerable state. More action needed. Kamal Kishore stressed the need to continuously spread awareness and be prompt with preparedness. He said, ” We need to continue to raise awareness about tsunami risk.””It is important that the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is not forgotten. We must continue to do whatever we can to protect ourselves, our children and our future generations from the effects of tsunamis in the future.” Tsunami in the Indian Ocean: Survivors’ Accounts
20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami: A call to ensure the safety of future generations
