Understanding how this catastrophe unfolded requires a look at the geological forces that set the chain of events in motion long before the first wave crashed ashore. The Generation of Waves When the seafloor displaces vertically, it acts like a giant piston, pushing the water column directly above it.
Undersea Thrust 2004 Tsunami Origin Explained
The immense pressure built up over centuries was suddenly released in a matter of minutes. The topography of the seabed and the shape of the bay acted as natural amplifiers, focusing the energy and driving the water higher up the land.
In some locations, the waves slowed to the point where the massive amount of water behind them continued to surge forward, causing the wave to rise vertically. The rupture occurred along the Sunda Megathrust, a massive fault line where the Indian Plate is forced beneath the Burma Plate.
The 2004 Tsunami Origin: Undersea Thrust and the Sunda Megathrust Rupture
The sheer scale of the event left entire communities obliterated and claimed over 230,000 lives across 14 countries. The phenomenon known as "runup" occurred, where the water rushed inland, often traveling kilometers away from the coastline.
More About How did the 2004 tsunami happen
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