Three months after the Indian Ocean earthquake-tsunami: health consequences and WHO’s response
In the early hours of the morning of Sunday 26 December 2004 a massive earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck the west of northern Sumatra. The quake triggered a powerful tsunami that swept the coasts of neighbouring countries and causing serious damage and loss of life. At least five million people were affected in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Thailand, Maldives, Seychelles, Myanmar. The death toll exceeded 280,000 people, and more than one million persons were displaced as a result of the destruction.
Many hospitals and health centres were destroyed or damaged with health workers among the victims. In some places, water supplies were disrupted and contaminated, making clean drinking water difficult to obtain. Sanitation facilities and sewage treatment works were damaged. All of which could potentially contribute to diarrhoeal disease outbreaks.