Support Given to 2004 Tsunami Victims in Indonesia
Tsunami as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is (n.d.), “a series of ocean waves generated by sudden displacements in the sea floor, landslides, or volcanic activity. In the deep ocean, the tsunami wave may only be a few inches high. The tsunami may come gently ashore or may increase in height to become a fast moving wall of turbulent water several meters high.” The 2004 tsunami that started off the coast of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia was caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake that took place more than 20 miles below the ocean surface (National Geographic News, 2005). The earthquake caused water displacement, which sent violent waves crashing into 11 countries from Indonesia to West Africa. The disaster killed a total of more than 288,000 people and caused trillions of dollars in damage to farmland and personal property. The area considered the hardest hit was the Aceh province, which is located on the northern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia. Before the tsunami, this area was war stricken because of a conflict between the government and a local anti-government group. Most of the residents lived in coastal areas where more the 70% of its population lost their lives (BBC news, 2005). The world watched in horror as people lost everything: their families, homes, livelihoods and even entire villages. The response to the tragedy was phenomenal, with an outpouring of sympathy and support from all over the world. There was a great desire to not only give immediate aid to victims such as food shelter and water but also to help them regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives. In order to do this, more than 160 countries and organizations offered support through monetary donations and medical aid. This paper will explore the impact of the two types of support given to the victims of the 2004 tsunami.
Discussion
Within days of the...