Before going on a trip, it is very important to find out in advance everything about the safety of the place where you plan to vacation or live for some time.
Despite the fact that Thailand is one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia in terms of crime, we must remember that this country is located between two huge oceans. One of the biggest and most uncontrollable dangers that plague many of Thailand's tourist areas is tsunamis.
For informational purposes (in no case with the purpose of scaring), I would like to talk about the terrible event that occurred in Thailand and in many countries of the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. The tsunami, which originated as a result of an earthquake at the bottom of the Indian Ocean near Indonesia, and which covered Thailand and 14 other countries, killing 225 to 300 thousand people, citizens of 60 countries. This natural disaster is the 6th largest in the history of mankind. The most terrible consequences were in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and in Thailand the largest number of foreigners died, especially in Phuket.
Let's hope that this story will never repeat itself, but don't forget - forewarned is forearmed. Many casualties could have been avoided if the people at the epicenter of the events knew at least something about the tsunami.
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Where do tsunamis come from?
Tsunamis are long waves, most often formed due to underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and less often due to any underwater explosions (nuclear tests, meteorites, etc.). Tsunamis do not pose a threat to shipping in deep ocean areas. Despite the fact that waves move at speeds of up to 1000 km/h, their height in the open ocean usually does not exceed 50 centimeters or 1 meter. Reaching shallow water, the tsunami loses speed and increases its height to 20-40 meters. This is the reason why tsunamis cannot always be seen in advance. Even satellite tracking systems cannot always identify danger in advance. In some cases, a tsunami can occur even without a clearly defined wave, like a series of rapid ebbs and flows. The danger primarily comes not from the wave itself, but from the incredibly large, wide and powerful stream of water that hits the shore with force.
Why are 30-meter storm waves safer than a 5-meter tsunami?
Sometimes on ocean coasts, storm waves can reach impressive sizes, but this never leads to the same large-scale flooding and damage as a tsunami. This is due to several factors:
— Unlike a storm, when the upper layers of the ocean break on the shore, a tsunami “attacks” the land with the entire thickness of the water, so the kinetic energy of a tsunami is thousands of times higher than the energy splashing onto the shore during a powerful storm.
— The width of a tsunami wave is thousands of kilometers, and it hits the entire coast, while storm waves are rarely longer than 50-100 meters. On the map at the beginning of the article you can see how the tsunami spreads radially (in circles) with its epicenter on the seabed near the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
“A storm is almost never sudden, and only the most modern ocean tracking systems can predict a tsunami. But not all potentially dangerous coasts are equipped with such expensive systems.
“Due to their strength, tsunamis penetrate much deeper into the continent, destroying infrastructure unprepared for such a disaster and also provoking man-made disasters, which only aggravate the scale of the disaster.
How to escape during a tsunami
In 85% of cases, a tsunami is preceded by a powerful underwater earthquake with a magnitude of more than 7.0 on the Richter scale. However, the source may be too far from the tsunami zone, in which case no earthquake will be felt on the coast. In the event of tremors in potentially tsunami zones, the following measures must be urgently taken:
— Without waiting for warnings (there may not be any), collect documents, valuables and relatives and leave the danger zone, warning the maximum possible number of people about the danger.
— Climb to higher ground as quickly as possible or move away from the ocean.
— Many potentially dangerous areas have special signs showing the shortest escape route.
- Remember that a strong and sudden low tide is an obvious sign of an impending tsunami. Before the decisive blow, the tsunami takes over all the coastal water. Before a large tsunami, most of the victims, who know almost nothing about this natural phenomenon, remain on the shore, collect fish that did not manage to leave with the sharp ebb of the tide, or simply admire the unprecedented spectacle. It is extremely reckless to do this!
— With a tsunami, several waves are possible, and the first wave will not necessarily be the most powerful. If one wave has already hit the shore, you must continue to stay in a safe place for the next few hours.
Tsunami film "Lo imposible"
Then I watched a film based on the real events of that very day (December 26, 2004), and decided that I definitely needed to write about this tsunami. Why? Because the film turned out to be a good drama about the fate of a particular family, but the authors did not reveal the main thing. And the main thing, I think, in this story is not whether one particular family was able to escape, but why the 2004 tsunami provoked such a number of victims. And here's why it happened:
— The inaction of the Thai authorities, who knew that at 8 am there was an earthquake in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sumatra, which slightly rocked the Thai resort of Phuket. The tsunami hit that same Phuket, as well as neighboring provinces at about 10 am. That is, there were 2 hours to evacuate people, but no one did anything. This is a complete failure!
— Lack of awareness among the local population and, especially, tourists about how to behave during a tsunami. Nobody really knew anything - where to run, what to do... In principle, there were no warning systems as such! And this despite the fact that the western coast of Thailand, and especially the tourist area of Phuket (one of the most popular resorts in Thailand) are located in a very dangerous ocean zone, where a large number of earthquakes occur. In general - again a failure of the authorities.
In their justification, we can say that tsunamis in the Indian Ocean are extremely rare - the previous tsunami took place after the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano back in 1883! That is, it was the unexpectedness of the tsunami in a number of countries in the Indian Ocean that caused such large-scale consequences - destruction and death of a huge number of people.
Perhaps this is precisely the emphasis that is missing in the film. In my opinion, it was necessary to show that much could have been prevented. Urge people to be careful in the future. This doesn't mean staying home and not traveling - it means being forewarned and knowing what to do in an emergency. And although this will not save everyone in the event of such a development of events, it will help many. People need to know what to do in a critical situation during a tsunami.
The very story of the film is that a family with three sons finds itself in the epicenter of a tsunami. Each of them is trying to escape, help each other and find other relatives. Unlike all sorts of far-fetched disaster films (hello, “2012” and “The Day After Tomorrow”), “The Impossible” does not have super special effects and an incredibly large budget. The emphasis is on the storyline, the acting and their inimitable emotions. In general, it’s a really worthy drama, in my opinion, but I’ve already written about the shortcomings above.
Tsunami in Phuket - still from the movie “Lo Imposible” 
Phuket tsunami 2004 (stills from the film “The Impossible”) In this article, I deliberately do not use photographs from various sources illustrating authentic footage of real destruction. I wouldn't want the article to be negative. On the contrary, the purpose of the recording is to tell people what happened and why it happened; to honor the memory of innocent victims; try to figure out how to avoid such losses in the future if the tsunami happens again...
After the 2004 disaster, Thai authorities announced the creation of a special tsunami tracking system. For this purpose, special buoys were placed in the ocean, which respond to the rapid movement of water masses. Exactly the same systems operate successfully off the coast of Japan and Hawaii. Also, the coastlines of the Andaman Sea in Thailand were equipped with warning signs in Thai and English: “Possible tsunami zone. In the event of an earthquake, move to higher ground or evacuate inland.”
Warning sign about a possible tsunami near Ao Nang (the “cleanest” one was found))) By the way, if you are going to Thailand, and you are very afraid of this potential tsunami danger, then you can choose safe resorts located in the Gulf of Thailand (South China Sea of the Pacific Ocean). The eastern shores of Thailand, namely resorts such as Koh Chang, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Samui, Phangan, Koh Tao, are reliably protected from tsunamis by neighboring islands, peninsulas and continents. The threat of a tsunami in Thailand is only in Western resorts located on the coast of the Andaman Sea. The most “dangerous” in terms of the likelihood of a tsunami are the provinces of Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi.
Tsunamis are giant and long ocean waves that arise as a result of an underwater volcanic eruption or earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7. During an underwater earthquake, sections of the ocean floor shift, creating a series of destructive waves. Their speed can reach 1000 km/h, and their height can be up to 50 m and above. About 80% of tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean.
Thailand Tsunami (2004), Phuket
December 26, 2004 - this day went down in history as the day of a tragedy of gigantic proportions, which took a huge number of lives. At this time, the tsunami occurred in Phuket (2004). Patong, Karon and other beaches suffered the most. At 07:58 local time, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of up to 9.3 occurred at the bottom of the Indian Ocean near the island of Simelue. It caused a large series of giant waves that people around the world still remember with fear and regret. Water killers took the lives of about 300 thousand people in a few hours and caused terrible destruction on the shores of Asia.
Thailand was one of the countries that suffered huge losses from the onslaught of the tsunami. The disaster struck the western part of the coast. In 2004, the tsunami on the beaches of Phuket completely destroyed the infrastructure: hotels, clubs, bars. These were the most famous vacation spots among tourists all over the world - Karon, Patong, Kamala, Kata. According to general estimates, several hundred people died.
The history of the beginning of the great catastrophe
It was a normal morning, when many were still in bed, but some were already relaxing on the beach. Powerful tremors occurred at the bottom of the ocean, which led to the displacement of water. The underground impacts were completely imperceptible, and therefore no one even suspected the beginning of the disaster. At a speed of 1000 km/h, the waves rushed to the shores of Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Somalia. This is how the Phuket tsunami began (2004). Karon Beach was among the places that suffered the most.
As we approached land, the height of the water flow in some places was about 40 meters. The tsunami in Phuket in 2004 had a very powerful destructive force, even exceeding the explosion of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
About an hour after the underwater earthquake, strange phenomena began to occur on land: somewhere the water moved 1.5 km away from the shore, the sound of the surf stopped, animals and birds began to run away in fear (to the mountains). People did not immediately understand the essence of the danger and collected shells from the shallow ocean bottom. Since the 15 m high rogue wave did not have a white crest, it was not immediately noticed from the shore. When the Phuket tsunami (2004) hit the beach, it was already too late to escape. With incredible speed, the waves destroyed everything in their path. Their destructive power allowed them to penetrate two kilometers inland.
When the movement of the wave stopped, the water rushed back very quickly. The greatest danger was not the water itself, but debris, trees, cars, concrete, reinforcement, billboards - everything that threatened to take a person’s life.
Characteristics of the 2004 Phuket tsunami
The site is the western tip of the Pacific earthquake belt, where approximately 80% of the world's largest earthquakes occurred. There was a shift of the Indian plate under the Burma plate, where the length of the fault was about 1200 kilometers. The catastrophe was incredibly large, since the Indian plate on the ocean floor was common with the territory of Australia, and the Burmese plate is considered part of the Eurasian one. The plate fracture divided into two phases with a gap of several minutes. The interaction speed was two kilometers per second, and a rift was created in the direction of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
There has not been such a destructive tsunami in Phuket for eighty years. Scientists say it will be centuries before the joined plates begin to move again. According to seismologists, the tsunami in Phuket (2004) gained strength, which was equal to the energy of five megatons per hour.
Consequences of the tragedy
The consequences of the disaster were simply terrible. Phuket after the tsunami (2004) is a terrifying picture. The cars were in the hotel lobby, the boat was on the roof of the house, and the tree was in the pool. This is what the water did. The buildings that stood on the coast were completely destroyed. Thailand's paradise - Phuket - was turned into hell by the tsunami (2004), a photo of which can be seen in the article. From under the wreckage of furniture, houses and cars, the bodies of dead people and animals could be seen. The survivors were in such a state of shock that they could not leave the scene of the tragedy. The tsunami in Thailand in 2004 (Phuket) was not a one-time event: the wave returned twice and took the lives of 8.5 thousand people. One of the elite islands of Phi Phi has completely gone under water. A large number of victims are children.
Elimination of the consequences of the disaster
Immediately after the water left, rescuers began to take measures to eliminate the consequences. The military and police were quickly mobilized and camps for victims were established. Since the island has a very hot climate, the risk of infectious contamination of water and air increased every hour. Therefore, it was necessary to find all the dead, identify them if possible and bury them. The mobilized groups worked for days without rest. Most countries of the world did not remain indifferent and sent human and material resources to help the Thai residents.
The approximate death toll in Phuket during the 2004 tsunami was 8 thousand 500 people, where 5 thousand 400 were foreign citizens from more than forty countries. It was the deadliest tsunami ever known.
Conclusions of scientists and specialists
After the disaster, it was necessary to analyze the sources of the tragedy and take safety measures. The Thai authorities have joined an international program to monitor phenomena in the ocean depths. Residents were alerted in the event of danger, and training was provided on the rules of behavior during the siren signal. The target group of such measures was not only local residents, but also tourists.
Enormous efforts were expended to restore the infrastructure of the social sphere and tourism. Buildings were built on the island from strong reinforced concrete, where the walls were erected parallel or at an oblique angle to the expected movement of the tsunami.
Years after the tragedy
Today, thirteen years have passed since the tragedy, which claimed approximately three hundred thousand lives and left pain and suffering in the souls of people all over the world. During this time, Thailand was able to fully restore the affected areas. A year after the tragedy, residents who lost a roof over their heads were provided with new housing. The buildings were constructed from materials that could withstand natural disasters in times of danger.
Today, tourists have practically forgotten the tragedy that happened and, with even greater enthusiasm, go on vacation to the shores of the kingdom. After the tsunami in Phuket (2004), Karon Beach, Patong and all other popular places became even more beautiful. The best buildings and structures were built. And only warning signs about the danger return people to that time of natural disaster.
Russians who survived the tsunami
Phuket in 2004, Patong and other tourist beaches are vacation spots for many Russian tourists. After the tragedy, emergency staff worked around the clock at the Russian embassy in Bangkok. The headquarters received about 2,000 phone calls in one day. The first list included about 1,500 Russians who may have been on the island during the disaster.
Until January 6, a search took place for every person on the list. From the very first day of the tragedy, all the victims were helped by volunteers - Russians living in Thailand, as well as employees of travel agencies. Gradually, survivors were found, and at the same time, a list was drawn up for evacuation on a Russian Emergency Situations Ministry flight. In this way, it was possible to send home about eighty Russians and citizens of neighboring countries.
A list of missing persons was also compiled. On January 8, the compilation of the list was completed, and the search continued. It took about a year for the victims to be identified. Later, people began to be considered no longer missing, but dead.
Is it possible to come to Thailand after a global catastrophe?
After the Thai authorities and American scientists installed the world's largest deep-sea system for early detection of tsunamis. Notification of an approaching disaster occurs several hours before the disaster begins. Also, after the tragedy, a system was developed to evacuate people away from the giant waves. Even on an island as small as Phi Phi, it is possible to evacuate to the mountains.
The system, which sounds the alarm in advance, was tested on April 11, 2012, when a tsunami occurred again (everyone was evacuated; this tragedy did not bring such terrible consequences as in 2004). In addition, scientists predict that it will be decades before the next natural disaster occurs.
For those who are still afraid to relax near the sea, experienced travelers advise going to the north of the country, where the worst thing that can happen is the Chao Prai or Mekong rivers overflowing their banks. This is quite unpleasant, but not fatal.
What should you do if a tsunami happens?
The first sign of the approach of giant waves is an earthquake. Today, Thailand's security system, upon detecting changes in the depths of the ocean waters, will signal danger. Under no circumstances should sudden low tides be ignored. In such a situation you need to act very quickly.
If tremors occur or there is a warning of an approaching tsunami, you must:
- collect all valuables, warn as many people as possible about the danger, and quickly leave the territory;
- hide from giant waves in the mountains or areas located far from the coast;
- pay attention to signs showing the shortest route to higher ground;
- The first wave may be small, so you need to stay in a safe place for about two hours until there is complete calm.
After the devastating tsunami of 2004, the government reviewed the safety system, and today the risk of hazardous events has been reduced.
Many tourists who are planning their trip to Thailand are concerned about the safety of their holiday. Questions in a global sense: tsunamis, typhoons and, most importantly at the moment, the political situation in the country.
What is important to know about tsunamis?
Many people remember the tragedy that occurred in 2004 in Thailand. It was one of the largest tsunamis to hit Southeast Asia in the last 100 years. The disaster claimed the lives of more than 300,000 people of different nationalities, covering 18 countries with its destructive force, including Africa. It was after this earthquake that the UN decided to create the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System.
Thailand also joined this project, despite the fact that it is not, like the Philippines and Indonesia, “sources” of natural disasters. The memory of the sad event (which, God willing, may happen again), motivates local authorities not only to buy expensive equipment for tsunami research, install sirens on beaches and buoys that monitor sudden low tides, but also to conduct information work with the population and tourists.
In simple terms about a tsunami: an underwater earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean, tectonic plates shifted, the seabed rose several meters, hence the destructive tsunami waves 15 meters high. If storm waves can be a couple of hundred kilometers long, then a tsunami can be a couple of thousand. By the way, the first wave of a tsunami may not be as strong as subsequent ones.
How to understand about an approaching tsunami and what should be done?
1) if you notice a sharp and large ebb of tide, that even fish cannot keep up with the movement of water and remain on the sand - this is one of the factors of an impending tsunami
2) if birds and pets begin to behave strangely and try to escape to higher ground, another sign of a natural disaster.
3) in many coastal and beach areas there are signs indicating the shortest route to higher ground or an evacuation point.
4) between an earthquake and a tsunami, there is a time interval (it can even be several hours), so you can travel far from the coast by transport.
Are there typhoons in Thailand?
In addition to tsunamis, East Asia is also famous for its typhoons, which are especially active from May to November. A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that can cause not only heavy rains and winds, but also storm surges.
Thailand is more often hit by typhoons from China, the Philippines and Indonesia, just during the rainy season, which becomes active in September-October. Basically, the entire force of the typhoon remains at sea; only cloudy weather, heavy rains, light winds, and rough seas reach the land of Thailand.
Where is it safer to vacation in Thailand?
In the bay. Specifically in Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Chang, Samet and other places that are located in the Gulf of the South China Sea.
The islands of Phuket, Phi Phi, and mainland Krabi are washed by the Andaman Sea, which flows into the Indian Ocean, and it was there that the earthquake occurred in 2004, which greatly affected the Kingdom of Siam. And during the rainy season, it is in these places that you will more often see red flags on the beaches - a warning that it is dangerous to swim in the sea during this period.
Political situation in Thailand
But today, many tourists who plan to fly to Thailand are not worried about natural disasters, but about the political situation in the country. Despite misunderstandings and problems between the ruling party and the opposition, despite rallies, strikes by farmers, military personnel with special equipment in different parts of Bangkok, the situation in resort areas is calm. Everything works, excursions are held, life in the sabai-sabai style goes its way. And the capital itself lives its own life, there are large shopping centers, restaurants, markets, and nightclubs.
Of course, due to the rallies in Bangkok, the tourism industry of Thailand is suffering losses, but in this situation there are advantages for travelers: pleasant discounts on hotels and air travel, sales in shopping centers, fewer tourists at popular resorts.
Tsunami in Thailand 2004.
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In 2004, a world-famous and tragic event occurred that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, left about a million people homeless and caused irreparable damage and destruction.
On the one hand, this story is similar to the plot of a Hollywood film - a disaster. But in Hollywood films, the characters usually find out about the disaster in advance. This is the whole point of the film - people waiting for judgment day.
But in real life everything is a little different. Trouble comes suddenly. On a quiet tropical island in the shade of palm trees on idyllic sand, drinking a mango cocktail, no one suspected that an underwater earthquake had occurred somewhere in distant Sumatra. And that it has something to do with them.
On December 26, 2004, an underwater earthquake measuring 9.1 - 9.3 on the Richter scale occurred on the west coast of Sumatra. Not only the island of Phuket and regions of Thailand were affected. Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Somalia, Australia and other countries were affected...
Simple human curiosity also played its cruel joke in this. As a large wave approached, a strong ebb began, the water receded several meters, exposing the seabed. Hundreds of onlookers with a completely absent sense of self-preservation began to collect shells and examine the seabed. It didn’t take long for the wave to arrive... The subsiding does not tolerate stupid mistakes.
Our ancestors - be they Greeks, Scandinavians or Chinese - believed in sea gods, before whom man is powerless, apparently for good reason. The wave overwhelmed those who went too far from the shore. It was impossible to survive.
Another reminder that 'Human', no matter what meaning we put into this word, ‘ nobody' compared to the elements of nature. Our life is too fleeting and too insignificant compared to the scale of our planet.
In addition, I bring to your attention a selection of video reports from the scene. Tsunami 2004
Koh Phi Phi tsunami 2004.
On December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean with a magnitude of about 9.0 (the third most powerful ever recorded) caused a catastrophic tsunami. The quake released energy comparable to the 23,000 atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima, according to the US Geological Survey. It had the greatest power in the last 40 years. The effects of the 2004 tsunami on Phuket were devastating.
A tsunami is actually a series of waves that rush forward at the speed of a jet plane, with some waves being up to 30 meters high. The 2004 tsunami came to Phuket very quickly. Indonesia was hit the hardest, but high waves reached the shores of Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. As a result, more than 230 thousand people died, and millions of survivors were left homeless. The tsunami even reached the coast of East Africa, where it also killed several people and caused significant damage to property.
In Thailand, the 2004 tsunami affected the entire Andaman coast, including Phuket and Khao Lak, which were the worst hit. The death toll in Khao Lak is estimated at more than 4,000 people, but some estimates put the death toll in the area as high as 10,000. The fact is that due to an inaccurate census and confusion in the days after the tsunami, the true numbers remained unknown.
How many people died in the 2004 tsunami in Phuket? The death toll in Phuket is estimated at around 1,000 people, although various sources give figures ranging from 900 to 2,000 people. Why did such a popular resort area have a lower death toll during the 2004 tsunami than the less popular Khao Lak? Most likely, this is explained by the presence of multi-storey hotels in Phuket, in which many people escaped. In Khao Lak, hotels at that time consisted mainly of low bungalows that could not withstand the angry waters.
Which beaches were affected by the tsunami in Phuket
Today, many tourists are interested in which Phuket beaches there was a tsunami. These tourists hope that the answer to this question will allow them to choose Phuket beaches that are safe from tsunamis. But in fact, there are no beaches in Phuket that are safe in this regard. Although the beaches in the east of the island are, in principle, safe from tsunamis (in the shallow waters of Phang Nga Bay, the occurrence of a destructive tsunami is impossible), only a few tourists from Russia relax on these beaches. But let's return to the question of which Phuket beaches suffered the most from the 2004 tsunami. All the beaches on the west coast of the island suffered, but the beaches of Patong and Karon received the greatest damage. This is not surprising when you consider that Patong and Karon are the most popular beaches in Phuket with a large number of hotels and other facilities. Kata, Kamala, Bang Tao, Surin and other beaches in the west of the island were also affected by the tsunami in 2004, but the damage on these beaches was noticeably less than on Patong and Karon.
Wave height of the 2004 tsunami in Phuket
There are different opinions about the height of the tsunami wave in Phuket in 2004. Some sources say that the wave height was about 30 meters. But if the wave had been that high, the death toll would have been much higher. In fact, the height of the wave is on average “only” 5 meters, but the fact is that this wave moved at a very high speed, which was approximately 600 km / h. Imagine the impact force such a wave has. Due to the high speed of this wave, many tourists simply did not have time to escape.How those killed in the tsunami were buried in Phuket
The story of how those killed during the tsunami in Phuket were buried deserves special mention. After the tsunami, Phuket became the main gathering place for all the dead, who were brought here from other parts of Thailand. Over time, the number of dead became so huge that there was nowhere to store them, since morgues, hospital basements and refrigerators were completely full. Then it was decided to temporarily bury the unidentified bodies, which were literally rotting in the sun. In the 2006 film Tsunami: The Aftermath, there was footage of bodies being burned in ovens, but as far as we know, nothing like that happened. Although some bodies were indeed burned in ovens, these were the bodies of Thais and other Asians who practiced Buddhism. That is, these were ordinary cremation ceremonies, and not disposal of corpses.Phuket after the 2004 tsunami
As the waters receded, Phuket and Phang Nga province used almost all of the region's elephants to move heavy loads and clear roads. These animals were of great help in finding survivors and dead.
The economic impact of the 2004 tsunami on Phuket was significant. Tourism, which was one of the main sources of income for the island, was hit the hardest, as most hotels were destroyed or seriously damaged. The fishing industry was also hit hard by the loss of fishing vessels, trawlers, and gear, most of which fishermen could not afford to replace. In addition, many fishermen lost their homes. But it was not all troubles for the fishing industry, as the tsunami destroyed many piers and fish processing facilities. The fishermen who were able to start working again were faced with the following problem - local traders refused to buy fish, because the local population believed that the caught fish fed on the human flesh of the victims who were swept out to sea by the tsunami. For local residents it was a spiritual issue, although possible health problems were also a concern. Since local residents stopped consuming fish caught near Phuket, many traders began to buy fish caught in the Gulf of Thailand or imported from Vietnam, Malaysia or other countries.
Although Phuket was one of the worst hit areas in 2004, the island recovered quite quickly from the disaster. According to initial estimates, the restoration of this popular tourist area was supposed to take ten years, but after a year there were almost no traces of the tsunami left on the island. For example, in Patong, 6 months after the disaster, only a few “scars” could be noticed.
Today, being in Phuket, you can hardly imagine that just a few years ago this island experienced a devastating tsunami. Only the Evacuation Route signs remind of the 2004 tragedy.
Monument to Tsunami Victims in Phuket
Another reminder of this tragedy is the monument to the victims of the tsunami, which is erected on Kamala Beach. This monument was built to commemorate the Tsunami Day that devastated the west coast of Phuket in 2004. The Phuket Tsunami Monument is located opposite the Print Kamala Resort, near the center of Kamala Beach. The monument is a metal sculpture called "The Heart of the Universe". Every year on the anniversary of the tsunami, ceremonies are held here with prayers and wreath-laying.
Probability of a tsunami in Phuket
Of course, the threat of a tsunami exists in Phuket, but not a single coastal area is immune from such a natural disaster. However, not a single scientist will give a forecast for a tsunami in Phuket, because it could happen even today, or it may never happen.But it is important to note that Thailand has done everything possible to minimize the number of casualties in the event of a new tsunami. A disaster warning system was developed and tsunami shelters were built. The warning system for the onset of natural disasters consists of special floating buoys that transmit all data about the state of the water and about tremors. In the event of a tsunami, the sensors will instantly transmit information to the central control, which will immediately notify the population and do everything for the rapid evacuation of people.
