🌊 The Deadliest Tsunami in Recorded History On December 26, 2004, the world witnessed the most deadly tsunami ever documented. A massive 9.1–9.3 magnitude undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It was so powerful it shifted the Earth’s axis and created a series of tsunami waves that spread across the Indian Ocean at the speed of a jet plane. Within hours, coastlines in 14 countries were hit — including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and the Maldives. The Impact

December 26, 2004 M9.1 Earthquake & Indian Ocean Tsunami In the early morning hours of December 26, 2004, the Earth unleashed one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded. A massive M9.1 megathrust rupture off the coast of Sumatra violently displaced the seafloor, sending walls of water racing across the Indian Ocean. Within minutes, coastlines were swallowed. Entire communities vanished. Waves traveled thousands of kilometers, striking country after country with almost no warning. By the

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami ranks among the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. On December 26, 2004, a massive undersea earthquake measuring 9.1–9.3 struck off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake suddenly displaced the seafloor, sending colossal volumes of water surging across the Indian Ocean at speeds comparable to a jetliner. Within minutes to hours, these waves slammed into coastal communities in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and several other countries,