An ordinary video of a man relaxing on a beach in Thailand inadvertently recorded the initial waves of a tsunami that ultimately claimed over 200,000 lives.
The day after Christmas in 2004 became historically significant due to a catastrophic earthquake that struck beneath the Indian Ocean.
The epicenter of the quake was just off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Because it occurred underwater, it triggered a tsunami that ravaged numerous nearby countries.
The earthquake registered a 9.1 magnitude, making it the third largest globally since 1900. It struck 18 miles below the ocean’s surface as two tectonic plates collided.
The rupture between the Indian and Burma plates stretched 800 miles.
The seismic event was not confined to Indonesia; countries such as Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand also felt its impact.
Though the earthquake was immensely powerful, it was the ensuing tsunami that wreaked havoc across India and Indonesia.
Within 20 minutes of the quake, waves began battering the coasts of surrounding islands.
In Northern Sumatra’s Aceh province, waves soared to 167 feet, causing floods that extended three miles inland.
As a result of the tsunami, an incredible 227,899 people were either killed or went missing and were presumed dead, including both tourists and locals.
This disaster rendered the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami the deadliest in recorded history.
Moreover, over 1.7 million people were left homeless, with total damages estimated at approximately $13 billion.
Surprisingly, what turned into the deadliest tsunami in history started with just a few small waves.
Even more astonishingly, an unsuspecting tourist managed to catch these initial waves on video.
In the video, a man says: “We were supposed to go caving this morning, had just about booked it.
“But then, look, waves.”
He points to the ocean where moderate waves begin to form.
As time passes, the waves become more intense, even toppling a beach chair.
A boat is also seen swaying in the water as tourists start to leave the beach.
Julian Hadden, who uploaded the footage to YouTube ten years ago, fortunately confirmed that everyone in the video survived the tsunami.
In the caption, he explained: “In response to the many questions – all of us featured in this video are still alive.
“We were on the landward side of the island of Koh Ngai, Thailand, so didn’t get a direct hit – rather the wave as it washed around the island.”
It’s terrifying to realize that these seemingly minor waves could lead to the immense destruction witnessed during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.