www.britannica.com Open in urlscan Pro
104.18.4.110  Public Scan

Form analysis
4 forms found in the DOM

POST /submission/feedback/2000103

<form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/2000103">
  <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div>
  <div class="type-menu">
    <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label>
    <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required="">
      <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option>
      <option value="1">Factual Correction</option>
      <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option>
      <option value="3">Link Correction</option>
      <option value="4">Additional Information</option>
      <option value="5">Other</option>
    </select>
  </div>
  <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label>
  <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required=""></textarea>
  <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button>
</form>

POST /submission/feedback/2000103

<form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/2000103">
  <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div>
  <div class="type-menu">
    <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label>
    <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required="">
      <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option>
      <option value="1">Factual Correction</option>
      <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option>
      <option value="3">Link Correction</option>
      <option value="4">Additional Information</option>
      <option value="5">Other</option>
    </select>
  </div>
  <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label>
  <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required=""></textarea>
  <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button>
</form>

POST /submission/feedback/1027119

<form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/1027119" id="___id3" class="md-form2-initialized">
  <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div>
  <div class="type-menu">
    <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label>
    <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required="">
      <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option>
      <option value="1">Factual Correction</option>
      <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option>
      <option value="3">Link Correction</option>
      <option value="4">Additional Information</option>
      <option value="5">Other</option>
    </select>
  </div>
  <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label>
  <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required=""></textarea>
  <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit" disabled="disabled">Submit Feedback</button>
</form>

POST /submission/feedback/1027119

<form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/1027119">
  <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div>
  <div class="type-menu">
    <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label>
    <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required="">
      <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option>
      <option value="1">Factual Correction</option>
      <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option>
      <option value="3">Link Correction</option>
      <option value="4">Additional Information</option>
      <option value="5">Other</option>
    </select>
  </div>
  <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label>
  <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required=""></textarea>
  <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button>
</form>

Text Content

Browse Search
Dictionary Quizzes One Good Fact
Subscribe Login

Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004
Table of Contents
Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004

 * Introduction & Top Questions

Fast Facts
 * Facts & Related Content

Media
 * Videos
 * Images

More
 * More Articles On This Topic
 * Contributors
 * Article History

Home World History Accidents & Disasters


INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF 2004

Actions
Cite
Share
Give Feedback
External Websites
Print Cite Share Feedback
External Websites
By The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica • Edit History

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents
woman in a tsunami-damaged village in Tamil Nadu, India
See all media
Date: December 26, 2004 ...(Show more) Location: India Indian Ocean Indonesia
Maldives Thailand ...(Show more) Key People: Michelle Howard ...(Show more)
See all related content →
Top Questions
WHAT WAS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EARTHQUAKE THAT CAUSED THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF
2004?

The magnitude of the earthquake that caused the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 was
9.1.

WHAT WAS THE LOCATION OF THE EARTHQUAKE THAT CAUSED THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF
2004?

On December 26, 2004, an undersea earthquake struck off the coast of the
Indonesian island of Sumatra. This quake caused the Indian Ocean tsunami of
2004, which reached out across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas with
waves that in some places reached a height of 30 feet (9 metres) or more when
they hit the shoreline.

HOW LONG DID THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF 2004 LAST?

The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 lasted for seven hours and reached out across
the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India,
Maldives, and Thailand, and as far away as East Africa.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED IN THE INDIAN OCEAN TSUNAMI OF 2004?

The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 killed at least 225,000 people across a dozen
countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand sustaining
massive damage.



Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, tsunami that hit the coasts of several countries
of South and Southeast Asia in December 2004. The tsunami and its aftermath were
responsible for immense destruction and loss on the rim of the Indian Ocean.

On December 26, 2004, at 7:59 am local time, an undersea earthquake with a
magnitude of 9.1 struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Over
the next seven hours, a tsunami—a series of immense ocean waves—triggered by the
quake reached out across the Indian Ocean, devastating coastal areas as far away
as East Africa. Some locations reported that the waves had reached a height of
30 feet (9 metres) or more when they hit the shoreline.


Review how underwater earthquakes, volcanoes, or landslides can generate
tsunamis
John Rafferty, associate editor of Earth sciences at Encyclopædia Britannica,
discussing tsunamis.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.See all videos for this article

The tsunami killed at least 225,000 people across a dozen countries, with
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand sustaining massive damage.
Indonesian officials estimated that the death toll there alone ultimately
exceeded 200,000, particularly in northern Sumatra’s Aceh province. Tens of
thousands were reported dead or missing in Sri Lanka and India, a large number
of them from the Indian Andaman and Nicobar Islands territory. The low-lying
island country of Maldives reported more than a hundred casualties and immense
economic damage. Several thousand non-Asian tourists vacationing in the region
also were reported dead or missing. The lack of food, clean water, and medical
treatment—combined with the enormous task faced by relief workers trying to get
supplies into some remote areas where roads had been destroyed or where civil
war raged—extended the list of casualties. Long-term environmental damage was
severe as well, with villages, tourist resorts, farmland, and fishing grounds
demolished or inundated with debris, bodies, and plant-killing salt water.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.


Michelle Howard
Table of Contents
Michelle Howard

 * Introduction

Fast Facts
 * Facts & Related Content

Media
 * Images

More
 * Contributors
 * Article History

Related Biographies
 * Chesty Puller
   United States Marine Corps officer
 * John Kerry
   United States senator and secretary of state
 * Edward Preble
   United States naval commander
 * John Paul Jones
   United States naval officer
 * See All

Home World History Military Leaders


MICHELLE HOWARD

United States admiral
Actions
Cite
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be
some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other
sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style

Copy Citation
Share
Share
Share to social media
Facebook Twitter
URL
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michelle-Howard
Give Feedback
External Websites
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve
this article (requires login).
Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar
Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other
Your Feedback Submit Feedback
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise
the article.

Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to
gain a global audience for your work!
External Websites
 * America's Navy - Biography of Michele Howard

Print Cite
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be
some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other
sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style

Copy Citation
Share
Share
Share to social media
Facebook Twitter
URL
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michelle-Howard
Feedback
External Websites
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve
this article (requires login).
Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar
Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other
Your Feedback Submit Feedback
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise
the article.

Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to
gain a global audience for your work!
External Websites
 * America's Navy - Biography of Michele Howard

Alternate titles: Michelle J. Howard, Michelle Janine Howard
By John P. Rafferty • Edit History

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Table of Contents
Michelle Howard
See all media
Born: April 30, 1960 (age 62) Riverside Colorado ...(Show more) Role In: Indian
Ocean tsunami of 2004 Iraq War ...(Show more)
See all related content →

Michelle Howard, in full Michelle Janine Howard, also called Michelle J. Howard,
(born April 30, 1960, Riverside, California, U.S.), U.S. military officer who
was the first woman to become a four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy. She also
made history as the first African American woman to captain a U.S. naval ship
(1999).

Howard was born into a military family—her father served as a master sergeant in
the U.S. Air Force—and by the time she was 12 years old, she had started
thinking about embarking on a career in the military. Howard discovered,
however, that opportunities for women in U.S. military academies during the
early 1970s were nonexistent. That circumstance changed when U.S. Pres. Gerald
Ford signed (1975) the Military Procurement Bill, which provided for the
admission (starting in 1976) of women into the military academies. During high
school Howard applied to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and, upon
entering the academy in 1978, she became one of only seven Black women in the
school’s class of 1,363 students. She graduated in 1982 and later earned (1998)
a master’s degree in military arts and sciences from the U.S. Army’s Command &
General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.



During Howard’s sophomore year at the academy, she piloted her first ship, the
destroyer USS Spruance, during a summer training cruise. She served aboard the
submarine tender USS Hunley (1982–85) and the training aircraft carrier USS
Lexington (1985–87) before being named (1990) the chief engineer aboard the USS
Mount Hood. She assumed the duties of first lieutenant (1992) aboard the USS
Flint and was the executive officer (1996) on the USS Tortuga. By taking command
of the USS Rushmore, Howard became the first African American woman to captain a
U.S. naval ship.

She served (May 2004–September 2005) as the commander of Amphibious Squadron 7,
which aided in relief in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. She
became the first African American woman to lead a U.S. Navy battle group when in
2009 she took command of Expeditionary Strike Group Two. This flotilla guarded
(April 2009–July 2010) the Persian Gulf as part of the U.S. war on terrorism and
performed anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean. Sailors under her
leadership rescued Richard Phillips, the captain of the container ship MV Maersk
Alabama, who was held hostage (April 8–12, 2009) by Somali pirates. Howard also
served in a number of onshore positions, notably as deputy director of the
Expeditionary Warfare Division under the chief of naval operations, senior
military assistant to the secretary of the navy, chief of staff to the director
for strategic plans and policy, and deputy chief of naval operations for
operations, plans, and strategy (N3/N5).

New from Britannica
Despite popular artistic representation, rain does not fall from the sky shaped
like teardrops; raindrops actually resemble hamburger buns.
See All Good Facts

On July 1, 2014, Howard became the first woman promoted to the rank of four-star
admiral in the U.S. Navy. That day she was also appointed the 38th vicechief of
naval operations (VCNO), making her the second highest-ranking officer in the
U.S. Navy. In 2016 she became commander of naval forces in Europe and Africa.
The following year she retired from the navy. In 2021 Howard became chair of the
Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense That Commemorate
the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the
Confederate States of America (commonly called the Naming Commission).

John P. Rafferty The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica


Load Next Page
Ask us a question



Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve
this article (requires login).
Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar
Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other
Your Feedback Submit Feedback
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise
the article.

Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to
gain a global audience for your work!
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve
this article (requires login).
Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar
Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other
Your Feedback Submit Feedback
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise
the article.

Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to
gain a global audience for your work!
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be
some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other
sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004".
Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Dec. 2021,
https://www.britannica.com/event/Indian-Ocean-tsunami-of-2004. Accessed 7 July
2022.
Copy Citation
Share
Share to social media
Facebook Twitter
URL
https://www.britannica.com/event/Indian-Ocean-tsunami-of-2004
Share
Share to social media
Facebook Twitter
URL
https://www.britannica.com/event/Indian-Ocean-tsunami-of-2004
External Websites
 * USGS - Indian Ocean Tsunami Remembered — Scientists reflect on the 2004
   Indian Ocean that killed thousands

Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
 * Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be
some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other
sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004".
Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Dec. 2021,
https://www.britannica.com/event/Indian-Ocean-tsunami-of-2004. Accessed 7 July
2022.
Copy Citation
External Websites
 * USGS - Indian Ocean Tsunami Remembered — Scientists reflect on the 2004
   Indian Ocean that killed thousands

Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
 * Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)


Update Privacy Preferences

Britannica's new daily email

The 10-second read: A fascinating nugget of information, delivered to your
inbox.

Learn something new every day:



CONSIDER A BRITANNICA KIDS SUBSCRIPTION!

For a limited time only, purchase a Britannica Kids subscription and get a FREE
activity box.

Learn More Today!