Effect of The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake On Somalia

The effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Somalia was devastating. Villages and coastal communities in Somalia, as far as 4,500 km (2,800 mi) from the epicentre of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, were swept away and destroyed by the resulting tsunami on 26 December 2004. The confirmed death toll stood at 298, as of 5 January 2005. According to presidential spokesperson Yusuf Mohamed Ismail of the transitional government, more than 50,000 people were displaced.

Most of the damage was in the coastal region of the semi-autonomous Puntland area, particularly the region between Hafun in the Bari region and Garacad in the Mudug region. The narrow and low-lying peninsula of Hafun, 1,150 km (710 mi) northeast of Mogadishu, was particularly devastated. In Puntland, rising waters destroyed properties in especially Hafun and Kulub, while parts of the towns and villages of Bander Beyla, Eyl, Foar and Bargaal were flooded. Other coastal areas, including Lower Juba, were also somewhat affected. The UN reported that the waves destroyed 1,180 homes, smashed 2,400 boats and rendered freshwater wells and reservoirs unusable. The village of Kulub, near Gara'ad, was still partially submerged as of 6 January. At Kulub, Hurdiye and other places, teams from the World Food Programme reported that all the boats and other fishing equipment used by the residents to make a livelihood had been lost.