Why was the Indonesian earthquake in 2004 so powerful?
The earthquake was caused by a rupture along the fault between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate. A series of massive tsunami waves grew up to 30 m (100 ft) high once heading inland, after being created by the underwater seismic activity offshore.
What happened in the 2004 Indonesian tsunami?
A powerful undersea earthquake that struck off the coast of Sumatra island, Indonesia, set off the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, also known as the Christmas or Boxing Day tsunami, on Sunday morning, Dec. 26, 2004. The quake caused the ocean floor to suddenly rise by as much as 40 meters, triggering a massive tsunami.
How much energy did the Indonesian earthquake 2004?
How much energy was released by the magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the west coast of northern Sumatra? Es 20X10^17 Joules, or 475,000 kilotons (475 megatons) of TNT, or the equivalent of 23,000 Nagasaki bombs.
Why was there a tsunami in Indonesia in 2004?
A 2004 tsunami triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra killed 226,000 across the Indian Ocean, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the Ring of Fire – the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim.
Where was the epicenter of the 2004 Sumatra earthquake?
The epicenter of the earthquake was about 250 kilometers off the west coast of Aceh Province. Strong to violent shaking in Aceh Province reportedly lasted five to six minutes. Banda Aceh was the only major city that experienced earthquake-shaking damage.
What was the depth of the earthquake in Indonesia?
Officials are urging locals not to enter their homes and to sleep away from buildings, due to the risk of aftershocks. The earthquake hit just off central Sulawesi at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) just before 18:00 on Friday (10:00 GMT), the US Geological Survey said. A tsunami warning was issued, but lifted within the hour.
What was the duration of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake?
The earthquake was the third largest ever recorded and had the longest duration of faulting ever observed; between eight and ten minutes. It caused the planet to vibrate as much as 10 millimetres (0.4 inches), and it remotely triggered earthquakes as far away as Alaska.