26 December 2004 was a very sad day for Thai people and many other countries as one of the worst natural disasters in history occurred. The earthquake that led to the tsunami was generated off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It generated a series of waves, which can travel at 800 km/h in deep ocean and 80 km/h in shallow water, with the largest impact felt in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. At least 227,898 people were killed in 14 countries bordering the Indian Ocean.
In Thailand, the hardest hit area was Khao Lak, where 4,000 people perished, many in the tourist resorts lining the shore.
Before monstrous waves hit Thai shores and killed over 8,000 people in six provinces along the southern coast, no one knew the tsunami was coming.
All that will change with the early alert system and instruments installed by the National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) along the Andaman coast during the 8 years after the event. This is one of 136 towers along the Andaman coast to warn people. The system works with bouys in the ocean far off the coast .
For the warning system to work people need to listen and cooperate. You must run away to higher ground from big waves. Don’t stop to take photo, just run.