24/12/14
2004 tsunami: Through the lens of a Thai beach resort
Thai family takes a break from searching for a missing family member at Khao Lak, Thailand following the tsunami
Jerry Redfern
People walk through the remains of a beach resort on Khao Lak several days after the December 26, 2004 tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia
Jerry Redfern
Photos of and messages about missing people line the wall of the information center at Khao Lak
Jerry Redfern
People looking for loved ones missing following the tsunami
Jerry Redfern
Manfred Achenbach, a Paramedic with German Air Rescue, talks with an injured man who was to be evacuated to Germany after the tsunami that hit Thailand
Jerry Redfern
Thai nurse cleans the wounds of a Thai man who was injured while working in the debris
Jerry Redfern
Thai search and rescue volunteer looks for corpses at Khao Lak
Jerry Redfern
Scenes of destruction
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Rescue volunteer operates a power shovel while looking for corpses following the tsunami
Jerry Redfern
The series of massive waves destroyed several beachfront resorts in the area, killing hundreds in this area alone
Jerry Redfern
Scenes of destruction
Jerry Redfern
Waste taken from various sites around the area and piled in a construction site near the beach in Patong as several people try to salvage anything usable
Jerry Redfern
Korean search and rescue volunteer looks for corpses at Khao Lak
Jerry Redfern
Scenes of destruction
Jerry Redfern
Thai volunteers unload dry ice from a delivery truck at Wat Bang Muang near Khao Lak. The ice will be used to slow the decomposition of the bodies of tsunami victims
Jerry Redfern
Corpses are set out in rows in front of Wat Bang Muang near Khao Lak
Jerry Redfern
Photos of tourist litter the beach of Khao Lak following the massive tsunami
Jerry Redfern
Tourists' shoes and a wallet litter the beach at Khao Lak, Thailand, following the December 26, 2004 tsunami
Jerry Redfern
Clothing and bed sheets litter the beach at Khao Lak, Thailand, following the December 26, 2004 tsunami
Jerry Redfern
A foreign tourist takes in the morning sun along Kata Beach on Phuket island and a breather from the rescue efforts. The December 26, 2004 tsunami killed thousands in Thailand, including thousands of foreign tourists. But that did not scare off all of the remaining visitors, many of whom stayed to volunteer in relief efforts
Jerry Redfern
By: Jerry Redfern
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Ten years ago, on 26 December 2004, the Earth’s crust shifted along a 1,300 km fault off the northern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The resulting earthquake was the third largest ever recorded. The follow-on tsunami killed about 280,000 people and remains one of the largest humanitarian disasters in recent history.
While the destruction in Thailand was comparatively smaller than in Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka, the wreckage was immense in both physical and human costs. The waves hit some of the most popular beach resorts at about 8am during the tourist peak season. Around 8,000 people were killed, including Thai nationals, migrant workers from Myanmar and foreign tourists.
The photos in this gallery show the devastation around Khao Lak, a high-end resort destination in Thailand before the waves hit and after it was hit. These photos are a reminder of how fragile human developments are in the face of catastrophic, unexpected natural disasters.
This article has been produced by SciDev.Net's South-East Asia & Pacific desk.