5.1 Human loss

One of the major consequences of tsunami is the loss of human life. The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami destructively struck 12 countries – Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and, in Africa, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and the Seychelles – causing unprecedented destruction in terms of scale and geographical distribution. Most of the coasts the tsunami swamped were home to poor coastal communities, and it destroyed basic services, critical infrastructure, administrative capacity and livelihoods. Most shocking was the Indian Ocean tsunami’s death toll, which was by far the highest in recorded history. Worst hit was Indonesia, followed by Sri Lanka and India. Only major earthquakes and diseases and wars have claimed more human lives (Table 1).