Hulguin, Aldrin F.

Block-6/T,Th(9:00-10:30am)

Topic: 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami

Classification: Natural Crisis

Involved Parties: Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, and Myanmar

Brief Background:

 In response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, World Vision mounted its
largest-ever relief response across five countries simultaneously — Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
Thailand, India, and Myanmar — and raised more than $350 million.
 On December 26, 2004, at 7:59 AM local time, an undersea earthquake with a magnitude
of 9.1 struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Over the next seven hours,
a tsunami—a series of immense ocean waves—triggered by the quake reached out across
the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas as far away as East Africa. Some locations
reported that the waves had reached a height of 30 feet (9 meters) or more when they hit
the shoreline.
 The tsunami killed at least 225,000 people across a dozen countries, with Indonesia, Sri
Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand sustaining massive damage. Indonesian officials
estimated that the death toll there alone ultimately exceeded 200,000, particularly in
northern Sumatra’s Aceh province. Tens of thousands were reported dead or missing in
Sri Lanka and India, a large number of them from the Indian Andaman and Nicobar
Islands territory. The low-lying island country of Maldives reported more than a hundred
casualties and immense economic damage. Several thousand non-Asian tourists
vacationing in the region also were reported dead or missing. The lack of food, clean
water, and medical treatment—combined with the enormous task faced by relief workers
trying to get supplies into some remote areas where roads had been destroyed or where
civil war raged—extended the list of casualties. Long-term environmental damage was
severe as well, with villages, tourist resorts, farmland, and fishing grounds demolished or
inundated with debris, bodies, and plant-killing salt water.

Impact of the study:

The Status of those who were affected

 Indonesia

The provinces most affected by the tsunami, Aceh and Northern Sumatra in Sumatra Island, are
among the most vulnerable areas in the country, with one-third of the population living below the
poverty line. According to the latest information, more than 90 000 people have died. Fifty per
cent of the population in Aceh has reportedly been seriously affected. In the province of north
Sumatra, the tsunami has mostly affected two districts; the island of Nias and Tapanuli Tengah.
Over 70% of the inhabitants of some coastal villages are reported to have perished. All
infrastructure has been destroyed in the worst-affected areas, leaving people without water, food
or shelter. Many local government officials are themselves either dead or missing. In Aceh, aid
organizations were severely restricted from the area because of separatist conflict, until the
tsunami struck. Heavy rains after the tsunami in Aceh and northern Sumatra have increased the
risks of cholera and other waterborne diseases. It is estimated that 1 million persons are in
immediate need of emergency food assistance.
The 2005 main season paddy and maize crops, to be harvested from March on, were already on
the ground when the tsunami struck Sumatra. The island is the second in Indonesia in terms of
rice production. Together, the two worst affected provinces account for about 10 percent of the
aggregate national output in a normal year. There is, as yet, no assessment of the impact of the
tsunami on cereal production at local and national levels.

The aggregate 2004 paddy output (main and secondary seasons) was officially estimated at 54
million tonnes, some 3 percent above the good harvest of 2003. Following last year's bumper
crop the Government banned imports of rice in 2004 and there are adequate stocks to cover the
food needs of the population affected by wave surges.

Fishing is an important economic activity for Sumatra Island, accounting for about one-third of
the national fish catches. Losses of fishing craft, gear, and fishery infrastructure in the Northern
provinces, yet to be assessed, will have a severe impact on local economies.

 Sri Lanka

Over 30 000 people reportedly died, 750 000 were displaced, and at least are 200 000 homeless
as a result of the tsunami. It is estimated that some 750 000 of the most vulnerable people are in
need of international food assistance.

The hardest-hit eastern and southern coastal districts are among the largest paddy growing areas
in the country. Planting of the 2005 main Maha paddy season, accounting for some 60 percent of
the total rice production, had just been completed when the tsunami arrived. In eastern parts,
persistent heavy rains from mid-December and floods have also adversely affected the emerging
paddy crop, particularly in Ampara, Batticoloa and Trincomalee districts. Prospects for the
harvest, scheduled to start in March, have deteriorated.

The 2004 paddy production was sharply reduced by dry weather. Based on the findings of
FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Missions, the aggregate output (Maha and Yala
seasons) is estimated close to 2.5 million tones, 20 percent below the level of the previous year.
Total cereal import requirements in marketing year 2004/05 (March/February) were estimated at
1.42 million tonnes, including food aid for drought-affected population. With the deterioration of
prospects for the 2005 main Maha harvest, the country's already tight food supply situation could
worsen further in 2005/06.

In coastal areas, fishing is the major economic activity, providing direct employment for about
250 000 people. In 2003, the fishing sector contributed to only 2.6 percent of the GDP but, in
recent years, it has emerged as a dynamic export-oriented sector, generating substantial foreign
exchange earnings. Preliminary estimates indicate that 70 percent of the fishing fleet and
industrial infrastructure have been destroyed by the wave surges, with predictable adverse
economic effects both at local and national levels.

 Thailand

Most of the country's 400 km western coastline, including numerous islands in the Andaman Sea
has been devastated by the tsunami. Some 5 200 people are reported dead and thousands more
have been severely affected. In the worst-struck south-eastern provinces of Ranong, Phang Nga,
Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun damage to tourism and fishing infrastructure is extensive. The
country has not made any formal request for international food assistance.

In the Southern region, including the affected provinces, harvesting of the 2004 main season
paddy crop was underway when the tsunami hit coastal areas. An assessment of the damage to
agriculture is not yet available but local crop losses are likely. However, since the whole
Southern region (14 provinces) accounts for only 4 percent of the country's annual paddy crop,
the damage is not expected to seriously affect production prospects at the national level.
Thailand is the world's largest rice exporter. Following a succession of bumper harvests, coupled
with high international prices, exports in 2004 are preliminary estimated at a record level of 9.2
million tonnes. Fortunately, port activities both in Bangkok and Ko Si Chang do not appear to
have been affected by the tidal wave. With the harvest of the 2005 main rice crop just about to be
completed, current rice supplies should be sufficient to cover the immediate food needs in the
affected areas of both Thailand and neighboring countries.

 India

Nearly 10 000 people are confirmed dead, with about 6 000 missing in the worst hit south-
eastern coastal states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and in the islands of Andaman and
Nicobar. The state of Kerala, in the south west, was also seriously affected. Fishing communities
are likely to have born the brunt of the damage and losses of livelihood. However, international
food aid has not been formally requested by the Government.

Paddy is a major crop in the two most affected southern states, which together account for some
14 percent of the national aggregate production of rice. When the tsunami struck, the 2005
secondary Rabi season crop, due for harvesting from April, was on the ground. Crop losses are
likely to have occurred in the worst affected areas but a detailed assessment is not yet available.
However, as some 90 percent of the country's annual paddy crop is grown during the main
Kharif season, from May to November, the tsunami did not affect the overall 2005 production
prospects.

India is an important exporter of wheat and rice. Production of paddy in 2004 declined slightly
from the good level of the previous year. Carry-over stocks are also relatively tight; as a result,
exports in 2005 are expected to decrease to some 2 million tonnes. However, at this level, rice
surplus is sufficient to cover the food aid needs in the country's worst-affected areas.

 Maldives

High waves inundated all the islands. Large areas of the capital Male, where about one-third of
the population lives, were left under water. Over 70 people have been reported dead, with many
others missing. Twenty of the Maldives' 199 inhabited islands have been described as "totally
destroyed". The shallowness of the water limited the tsunami's destructive power, but flooding
was extensive. International emergency food aid will be required for 50 000 most vulnerable
people.

The tsunami also resulted in severe damage to housing and infrastructure in the tourism and
fishing sectors. Tourism is the largest industry of the country, accounting for some 30 percent of
GDP, over 60 percent of the foreign exchange receipts and about 90 percent of government tax
revenues. Fishing is the second leading sector in the economy. The damage to infrastructure
caused by the tsunami will clearly have a serious impact on the national economy. Agriculture,
constrained by the limited availability of arable land and shortages of domestic labour, plays a
minor role in the overall economy. The country's cereal consumption requirements, averaging
some 40 000 tonnes per year, are normally covered by commercial imports.

 Other affected countries

Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar and Somalia, among others, were also hit by the Tsunami, but
damage was relatively limited. Exportable surplus of rice in Myanmar and adequate availabities
in Bangladesh and Malaysia, following good 2004 paddy harvests and commercial imports, are
estimated to be sufficient for the immediate food aid needs of the population affected by the
tsunami disaster.

Somalia is the worst-hit African country, with damage concentrated along the north east coast,
on the tip of the Horn of Africa. Up to 300 Somalis are reported to have died, with thousands
more homeless and many fishermen still unaccounted for. About 30 000 people have been
displaced. The residual tsunami effect destroyed 1,180 homes, smashed 2,400 boats and rendered
freshwater wells and reservoirs unusable. The UN has called for $13m to help tsunami victims.
WFP has so far distributed 83 tons of food aid to 2 600 beneficiaries, while aid agencies with
small ground operations in Puntland also delivered food and relief supplies. Somalia has poor
road infrastructure, presenting aid agencies with a major challenge.

The effect to the economy:

 It suffered mostly economic damages over one million dollars involving fishing
industries with more than 200 boats sunk. No deaths were reported. Ten people were
reported killed, and flooding destroyed a major bridge between the capital Port Victoria
and main airport. According to official estimates in India, 10,749 people were killed,
5,640 people were missing and thousands of people became homeless when a tsunami
triggered by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra
struck the southern coast on 26 December 2004.

The pros and cons of the event:

 Tsunamis can cause great loss of life and property damage in coastal areas. Very large
tsunamis can cause damage to coastal regions thousands of miles away from the
earthquake that caused them. It is rare for a tsunami to penetrate more than a mile inland.
Tsunami waves are unlike normal coastal waves.

Government response:
A. Government participations

Response of the U.S. Government and the international system to the Indian Ocean earthquake
and tsunamis

(February 10, 2005)

 Six weeks have passed since a deadly earthquake and tsunamis struck countries in Asia
and Africa. The countries and people struck by this disaster are now beginning to turn
from the immediate task of saving the lives of family and friends, to the long-term and
even more difficult work of rebuilding homes, livelihoods and communities. The best
estimates by affected country governments and the UN report more than 161,000 dead in
seven countries over two continents, and another 139,000 still missing. Over 1.1 million
people are displaced.
The U.S. government, in partnership with the affected countries, the international
community, and the United Nations, will continue to provide food, shelter, water and
sanitation to those in need. As President Bush said, "The government of the United States
is committed to helping the people who suffer. We're committed today and we will be
committed tomorrow." Americans have great sympathy and respect for the people of
devastated communities, who have come together to search for the living, bury the dead,
care for those who have lost families and livelihoods and rebuild their lives.
National and local governments in the countries hit by the tsunami, the multilateral
development banks and bilateral donors, including the U.S., are working together to
assess medium and lon-term damage and needs. Even in the worst hit areas, such as Aceh
and the coastline of Sri Lanka, rehabilitation and reconstruction have begun. Preliminary
assessments produced jointly by the tsunami-affected governments, the World Bank, the
Asian Development Bank, USAID and other partners place damage and loss costs at $4.5
billion in Indonesia and $1.3 billion in Sri Lanka. While Maldives assessment has not yet
been completed, Maldives' own assessment is that $1.3 billion will be required for
 tsunami reconstruction. We expect refinements of these studies to be produced in the
coming weeks.
To help meet these needs, the Administration is seeking $950 million to support the
rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas devastated by the Indian Ocean Tsunami and to
cover the costs of the U.S. government's relief efforts to date. As President Bush said
when announcing this request: "From our own experiences, we know that nothing can
take away the grief of those affected by tragedy. We also know that Americans have a
history of rising to meet great humanitarian challenges and of providing hope to suffering
peoples. As men and women across the devastated region begin to rebuild, we offer our
sustained compassion and our generosity, and our assurance that America will be there to
help." The President and this Administration look forward to working with Congress to
provide these funds quickly.
We recognize that the Committee seeks in this hearing to have a preliminary assessment
of "lessons learned." The transition period now from relief to reconstruction and recovery
provides a useful juncture at which to assess the effectiveness of the immediate response
to the tsunami disaster by the U.S. government, as well as other actors. We appreciate
this opportunity to share with the Committee some preliminary thoughts. The
assessments and recommendations that follow result from informal interagency
discussions, information from the State Department's embassies and USAID's missions

B. Government Actions

 The aid response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was unprecedented for a natural
disaster, with a colossal $6.25bn donated to a central UN relief fund assisting 14
countries. Aid agencies say the response was unlike any they had seen before,
particularly in the scale of donations from the public.
 Operation Unified Assistance was the American military's humanitarian response to the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. On 28 December 2004, elements of the
Combined Support Force were deployed to U-Tapao International Airport in Thailand.

C. Key person/agencies in addressing the crisis

 Any time disaster strikes, UNICEF is among the first on the ground, sometimes arriving
days before to preposition lifesaving supplies. In the wake of a tsunami, UNICEF works
to save and protect vulnerable children by: providing safe water, adequate sanitation,
basic nutrition and routine medical care services.

Lessons:
 One great lesson of the Indian Ocean Tsunami is that we must build and plan our coastal
urban areas in a more sustainable and responsible way. We must become more intelligent
and aware in managing the risks around the location of critical infrastructure in hazard
prone areas whether the threat comes from floods, storms, earthquakes, heat waves or
something else,” she added.
At the end of the rich and informative panel discussion, a number of recommendations
were proposed and will be taken to Sendai. Among them is the urgent need to strengthen
“the last mile” of early warning systems and to enhance the understanding of risks among
coastal communities, as well as the ability of private and public sector organizations to
reduce future losses due to climate change challenges.

The panel highlighted critical issues such as standardized messaging, information and
signage for travelers and communities in a very mobile world. The standardization will
help ensure that individuals are better prepared.
Personal Insights:
 According to the response of the government after the event, I am "agree" to them
because they extended relief assistance to the tsunami affected countries of Sri Lanka,
Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia. In case of Sri Lanka a composite relief package of Rs.
100 crore was announced. Indian Navy launched “Operation Rainbow” to provide relief
and rescue assistance to Sri Lanka.
 Early warnings systems could have saved many lives. Coastal forests could have saved
property, as well as lives, where the tsunami was not extremely large. It is even possible
that a large, well-designed coastal forest could substantially mitigate the damage of a
tsunami up to 8, or even 10 meters.
 Measures should have taken to be:
a. Prepare against crisis
 As a crisis manager I am going to have a designated crisis management team that
is properly trained, and decide who will be involved in the actions that will need
to be taken in each scenario by pre-assigning roles and responsibilities. And also
to keep in mind any relevant regulatory requirements, and determine how you will
continue to meet them, even in the midst of a crisis.
b. Prevent loss of life, violation of rights, or distruction of property.
 To prevent the loss of life you as crisis manager, you should have to prepare your
team first to respond immediately when the crisis strikes and have the
spokesperson prepared and ready to go. Follow the steps outlined in the crisis
communication plan and put the team into action. The first few hours are most
important in establishing credibility and building public trust and believability.
Do not stonewall. Be responsive to the media and inform the people who need to
be kept informed.
 As part of crisis management team we should have to do the following to prevent the
repetition of such crisis:
 Analyze potential risks and the organization’s vulnerabilities.
 Talk to stakeholders at all levels, both inside and outside the organization,
about their needs and concerns.
 Identify resources available and needed to respond to a crisis.
 Develop a detailed crisis management plan. (You can learn how to develop a
crisis management plan in “Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Crisis
Management Plan.”)
 Obtain any missing resources.
 Train all employees on what to do in a crisis.

Attachments:

Days after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a man in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, scavenged the
rubble for usable items. In Indonesia's Aceh province on the island of Sumatra, about 170,000
people were killed by the massive ocean waves. (©200 World Vision/photo by Jon Warren)
A general view of the scene at the Marina beach in Madras, 26 December 2004, after tidal waves
hit the region. Tidal waves devastated the southern Indian coastline killing 1000 people, the
home minister said, warning that the grim death toll was expected to rise.

Aid workers in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Walk past debris and a damaged Building after the 2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami. Reconstruction of Infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods. Had to begin
from the ground up. (©2005 World Vision/photo by Jon Warren)

Booplan Raman, 15, sits next to the Rubble of his home. Debris is all that’s Left of the family’s
possessions after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami Struck the southeast coast of India where he
lives. His father, mother, and four siblings survived but are struggling to get by on relief
supplies. (2005 World Vision/photo by Jon
In the days after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami devastated the coast of India's Tamil Nadu state,
two young women sift through the remains of their home looking for valuables and documents.
Many coastal dwellers lost their livelihoods as fishermen and fish mongers when the waves
destroyed their homes, boats, and nets. (©2005 world Vision/photo by Jon Warren)

SUMATRA, INDONESIA - JANUARY 10: In this U.S. Navy handout photo, a Landing Craft
Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicle delivers much needed materials and supplies to the citizens in the
city of Meulaboh on January 10, 2005, on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Military personnel
and vehicles assigned to USS Bonhomme Richard of Expeditionary Strike Group Five (ESG-5)
are supporting Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian operation effort in the wake of the
tsunami, caused by a 9.0 magnitude, submarine earthquake near Northern Indonesia, which
crashed into coastal areas across Southeast Asia killing more than 150,00 people. (Photo by Bart
A. Bauer/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA - JANUARY 10: (CHINA OUT) Residents walk past the ruins of
their downtown homes January 10, 2005 in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The death toll from the
earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia rose to 105,262, the social affairs ministry said. The Red
Cross has warned that with thousands of bodies still being pulled from the rubble, the emergency
phase of the tsunami disaster is far from over. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

MEULABOH, INDONESIA – DECEMBER 29: In this handout photo taken from a print via the
Indonesian Air Force, the scene of devastation in Meulaboh, the town closest to the Sunday’s
earthquake epicenter, is pictured from the air on December 29, 2004, Meulaboh, Aceh Province,
Sumatra, Indonesia. The western coastal town in Aceh Province, only 60 kilometers north-east of
the epicenter, has been the hardest hit by Sunday’s underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean.
Officials expected to find at least 10,000 killed which would amount to a quarter of Meulaboh’s
population. Three-quarters of Sumatra’s western coast was destroyed and some towns were
totally wiped out after the tsunamis that followed the earthquake. (Photo by Indonesian Air Force
via Getty Images)
PHI PHI ISLAND, THAILAND - DECEMBER 28: Rescue workers comb through the
devastation December 28, 2004 in Phi Phi Village, Ton Sai Bay, Thailand. Hundreds were killed
on the island when an earthquake caused a Tsunami wave destroying everything in its path. The
powerful Asian quake has effected coastal areas in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and the tourist
isles of Thailand. The death toll is over 20,000. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

An Indonesian fishing boat stranded on a house in Banda Aceh, eight months after the 2004
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Many houses in this part of Banda Aceh were totally
destroyed by the tsunami waves, whilst the boat remains wholly intact as it floated to its current
position on top of the roiling tsunami waves. The rear of the boat indicates the direction to the
ocean, in this case about two kilometers. A monument to the power of nature.
CRISIS MANGEMENT PLAN:

Communication - it is very important from leaders to leaders and from leaders to his/her
community. To accept everyone's idea and listen to their comments for the better organization.

Transportation- an emergency team must have an emergency transportation as they will be the
one who is important to emergency areas. And transportation for all the victims so that it can be
easier to manage the crisis.

Manpower- since it is one of the assets of today, it is important to treat them right and give what
they really deserve, to avoid dissatisfaction. Emergency Response- it needs to be effective, as
emergency can't avoid, we need to be ready all the time; the emergency team.

Logistics- they need to manage the resources and transported it to its destination, example for the
relief operations or to protect and supply equipment’s

Laws and Policies- it must have an equal treatment to ensure that there will be no bias and must
be acceptable in every side of the community.

Reference:

https://reliefweb.int/report/india/impact-tsunami-disaster-food-availability-and-food-security-
affected-countries

https://brainly.in/question/12852760

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/dec/25/where-did-indian-ocean-
tsunami-aid-money-go

https://reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/response-us-government-and-international-system-indian-
ocean-earthquake-and

https://www.unicefusa.org/mission/emergencies/tsunamis

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/658827/a-look-back-the-2004-indian-ocean-tsunami-in-photos

https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2004-indian-ocean-earthquake-tsunami-
facts

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/658827/a-look-back-the-2004-indian-ocean-tsunami-in-photos

http://www.emdat.be/Database/terms.html
https://www.recoveryplatform.org/countries_and_disasters/disaster/15/indian_ocean_tsunami_20
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