Although, as always is the case, much was going on in rest of the world, the news for this January 4th in 2005 was about relief and rescue efforts by governments worldwide in the wake of a devastating 9.5 magnitude earthquake and subsequent Tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The Earthquake, which hit on December 26, 2004 and whose epicenter was Northern Sumatra.
A massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high, known in some countries as the Boxing Day Tsunami after the Boxing Day holiday, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries in one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. The direct results caused major disruptions to living conditions and commerce in coastal provinces of surrounded countries, including Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu (India) and Khao Lak (Thailand). Banda Aceh reported the largest number of deaths. It remains the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century.
It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Asia, the most powerful earthquake in the 21st century, and at least the third most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the world since modern seismography began in 1900. It had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between eight and ten minutes. It caused the planet to vibrate as much as 10 mm (0.4 in), and also remotely triggered earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Its epicentre was between Simeulue and mainland Sumatra. The plight of the affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response, with donations totalling more than US$14 billion.
Also in the news, the Governor of Baghdad was assassinated but details as of newstime were sketchy – all that was known at this point was Ali Al-Hadri was shot dead by an unknown assassin. News of the shooting came the same time as a powerful bomb went off in the capitol with a preliminary report of six killed and 40 others wounded.
And that’s part of what was going on, this January 4th in 2005 as reported by BBC Radio 4’s Today Program.
