The Indian Ocean Tsunami

by Karan, Pradyumna P.; Subbiah, Shanmugam P.

• ISBN13: 9780813126524
• ISBN10: 0813126525
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-12-23
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Kentucky

Summary

On December 26, 2004, a massive tsunami triggered by an underwater earthquake pummeled the coasts of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and other countries along the Indian Ocean. With casualties as far away as Africa, the aftermath was overwhelming: ships could be spotted miles inland; cars floated in the ocean; legions of the unidentified dead -- an estimated 225,000 -- were buried in mass graves; relief organizations struggled to reach rural areas and provide adequate aid for survivors. Shortly after this disaster, researchers from around the world traveled to the region's most devastated areas, observing and documenting the tsunami's impact. The Indian Ocean Tsunami: The Global Response to a Natural Disaster offers the first analysis of the response and recovery effort. Editors Pradyumna P. Karan and S. Subbiah, employing an interdisciplinary approach, have assembled an international team of top geographers, geologists, anthropologists, and political scientists to study the environmental, economic, and political effects of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The volume includes chapters that address the tsunami's geo-environmental impact on coastal ecosystems and groundwater systems. Other chapters offer sociocultural perspectives on religious power relations in South India and suggest ways to improve government agencies' response systems for natural disasters. A clear and definitive analysis of the second deadliest natural disaster on record, The Indian Ocean Tsunami will be of interest to environmentalists and political scientists alike, as well as to planners and administrators of disaster-preparedness programs.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations and Tables	p. vii
Preface	p. xi
Introduction: When Nature Turns Savage	p. 1
Environmental and Ecological Impacts
The Tsunami Disaster on the Andaman Sea Coast of Thailand	p. 35
The Geoenvironment and the Giant Tsunami Disaster in the Northern Part of Sumatra Island, Indonesia	p. 51
Geological and Geomorphological Perspectives of the Tsunami on the Tamil Nadu Coast, India	p. 65
Tsunami Inundations and Their Impact in the Kaveri River Delta, Tamil Nadu, India	p. 99
Impact of the Tsunami on the Coastal Ecosystems of the Andaman Islands, India	p. 113
Environmental Damage in the Maldives from the Indian Ocean Tsunami	p. 127
Tsunami Disasters in Seenigama Village, Sri Lanka, and Taro Town, Japan	p. 135
Socioeconomic Dimensions of Recovery, Reconstruction, and Response
Post-tsunami Recovery in South Thailand, with Special Reference to the Tourism Industry	p. 163
The Role of NGOs in Tsunami Relief and Reconstruction in Cuddalore District, South India	p. 183
Sociocultural Frame, Religious Networks, Miracles: Experiences from Tsunami Disaster Management in South India	p. 213
Achievements and Weaknesses in Post-tsunami Reconstruction in Sri Lanka	p. 237
Improving Governance Structures for Natural Disaster Response: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami	p. 261
Geopolitical Perspective
Transnational Geopolitical Competition and Natural Disasters: Lessons from the Indian Ocean Tsunami	p. 283
List of Contributors	p. 301
Index	p. 305
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