On December 31, 2004, the Indian Ocean was hit by one of the deadliest tsunamis in recorded history, following a massive undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake, measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale, triggered waves that struck the coasts of 14 countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. The tsunami killed over 230,000 people and left millions more displaced, with entire coastal communities wiped out. The disaster brought about a large-scale international humanitarian response, with aid flowing from all corners of the globe. It also led to the establishment of global tsunami warning systems to prevent future catastrophes of similar scale.