Status of coral reefs in tsunami affected countries: 2005

This book focusses on the impacts of the tsunamis of Sunday 26 December 2004 on the natural coastal resources, especially the coral reefs and associated ecosystems, and the responses by the international community.

The book also presents a long history of previous earthquakes and tsunamis in the Indian Ocean, summarised in Chapter 1, p 17. These are firmly embedded in the folk lore of many indigenous communities, who retreated to higher ground before the waves; most of the victims, however, lacked experience of the potential consequences of earthquakes and tsunamis.