facts and figures
The Boxing day Tsunami began from an earthquake measured 9.3 on the Richter scale on the sea floor, which ruptured the sea floor. It began off the coast of Sumatra. I had been living in Sumatra for about 2 years ever since I began my career as a reporter. I had gotten to know the area, to know the people and the political hot spots and was really happy with the direction my life was heading. Until the disaster of the boxing day Tsunami occurred. I first felt the earthquake, it was a real fright to me because I had never experienced anything to the extent of the earthquake. I saw kids running down towards the beach and I thought they were trying to get away from the buildings after the earthquake. As i walked towards the beach I saw the water receding rapidly out to sea. I then got an awful feeling as i knew that was a first sign of a Tsunami and the second sign was an earthquake. I yelled loudly 'go to high ground, go to high ground' but no one was listening. I ran towards the main street of Banda Aceh, I looked all around and saw the Intercontinental hotel into the distance and ran straight towards it. I entered the hotel and went to the highest floor for safety. 15 minutes later the Tsunami first hit my town of Sumatra and it hit pretty hard. I saw the Tsunami hit the town and it was a devastating sight to see so many innocent people get hit by the giant wave. The death toll began and continued rising. It was officially estimated that the death toll was over 100,000. Many people after the first Tsunami wave had hit, went down to the shore to have a closer look but had no idea a second wave was about to come. I stayed in the hotel a bit longer for safety and that is when I saw the second wave hit. When the wave ripped through our town it took so many people in its grip and that is when the thought hit me that this was once our town and now it is gone.
. 275,000 people were killed in fourteen countries.
. 40,000 more women were killed than men.
. 141,000 houses were destroyed.
. 600,000 people in Banda Aceh lost their livelihoods.
. 1000 German and Swedish tourists were killed.
. 275,000 people were killed in fourteen countries.
. 40,000 more women were killed than men.
. 141,000 houses were destroyed.
. 600,000 people in Banda Aceh lost their livelihoods.
. 1000 German and Swedish tourists were killed.