Before and After the Tsunami

The Indonesian province of Aceh, on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, was hit hardest by the earthquake and tsunamis of Dec. 26, 2004.

The town of Lhoknga, on the west coast of Sumatra near the capital of Aceh, was destroyed by the tsunami. Only a mosque, the white circular feature in the city's center, survived.

These images from Space Imaging's Ikonos satellite show Lhoknga before and after. Almost all the trees, vegetation, and buildings in the area were washed away. The wave height might have exceeded 50 feet (15 meters) when it struck the shore, scientists say.

• How Tsunamis Work
• Tsunamis in History
• The Megatsunami: Possible Modern Threat
• India to Create Tsunami Warning System

-- LiveScience Staff

Credit: Ikonos images courtesy NASA and the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing, National University of Singapore and Space Imaging