On December 26, 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake occurred off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. This earthquake, which is the third largest earthquake ever recorded, triggered a series of devastating tsunamis that struck the coasts of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, and Malaysia. In all, these tsunamis killed more than 225,000 people.
The Indonesian government responded to the tsunami by declaring a national emergency and deploying the military to the affected areas. The government also set up a national disaster …