Chilling Footage Shows Tsunami That Took The Lives Of Thousands Of People Across 14 Countries

Chilling footage captures the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as it surged towards the shoreline.

The tsunami was triggered by an earthquake near the island of Sumatra.

This earthquake sent a series of massive tsunamis towards the nearby landmasses.

With a magnitude of 9.1, the earthquake unleashed waves of devastating power.

The footage captured the terrifying wave. (X/@Morbidful)

This catastrophic event resulted in the deaths of 227,898 people across 14 countries.

India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Thailand, and Indonesia all suffered extensive damage.

The video, shared on social media, was filmed by a German tourist who was on a beach in Thailand as the tsunami neared the coast.

Those in the path of the tsunami were caught off guard, and there were no evacuations before it struck.

Aerial footage taken after the disaster revealed the extensive destruction, showing whole communities obliterated by the force of the wave.

The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami ranks as one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

Many of the impacted areas were favored tourist spots.

Since then, numerous tourist videos have surfaced, displaying the menacing wave as it advanced towards the shore.

In one such video, the massive wave can be seen charging towards the land while the person filming captures the scene.

The tsunami killed more than 220,000 people. X / @Morbidful

In the background, people's shouts can be heard, although it is unclear if they are expressions of alarm at this moment.

Some estimates suggest the tsunami traveled at speeds up to 500mph across the ocean.

The wave was so powerful that it traveled around 3,000 miles to East Africa, where it still had enough force to cause fatalities and significant property damage.

The tsunami also left approximately 1.7 million people homeless, with the damage estimated at around $13 billion.

Another video from that day, taken by tourists who managed to escape, shows the tsunami's waves circulating around the island they were on.

They survived because they were on the side of the island that faced the mainland, which shielded them somewhat from the full impact of the wave.

Instead, they experienced the wave's force as it swept around the island.

There are sometimes early warning signs before a tsunami reaches land.

One such sign is the rapid retraction of water, as if the tide is dropping very quickly.

This phenomenon can indicate that a tsunami is imminent, suggesting that moving to higher ground immediately is crucial.