Indian Ocean tsunami 20 years on: Improved warning systems but better forecasting still needed

CHRISTMAS holidays tend to be a time of much joy for many families around the world. However, this year’s festivities also hold much sadness, as the 20th anniversary of the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami is remembered on Thursday (Dec 26).

Two decades after the deadly waves in the Indian Ocean, our ability to forecast and warn of future dangerous tsunamis has grown. However, the economic and wider human cost of such natural catastrophes in the future can never be completely prevented.

This was illustrated by the concern, for instance, over the magnitude 7.0 earthquake which struck on Dec 5 about 88.5 km off northern California, impacting the area from San Francisco to southern Oregon. This sparked a tsunami warning for millions of residents.