10 Most Important Events In History Caught On Film
1. Indonesian Earthquake And Tsunami - 26 December 2004
When: 26 December 2004
Where: Sumatra, Indonesia
What: The people of Indonesia are no strangers to earthquakes, and they happen with some regularity. Fortunately, they are often small and don't result in much damage, but the earthquake that struck off the western coast of Sumatra in December 2004 was something else entirely.
The quake registered at a 9.1 to 9.3, and because it happened deep in the ocean, it caused a massive series of tidal waves. There was no significant warning to the people of Indonesia as waves reaching as high as 100 feet raced toward the shore.
Several videos of the event were captured, with many showing people desperately holding onto trees before being swept away by the water and debris. When the waves stopped, an estimated 227,898 people were dead, making the quake one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history.
The quake was the third-largest ever recorded, and it had the longest recorded duration. The deadly cost of the quake pushed governments to draft new rules and regulations, coupled with the placement of widespread seismic sensors to create a global early warning system, which has helped save many lives in the intervening years.