Indian Ocean tsunami anniversary: Survivors recall experiences

Twenty years ago, the world was stunned by the Asian tsunami, whose towering waves killed an estimated 230,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and other countries the day after Christmas.

Twenty years ago, the world was stunned by the Asian tsunami, whose towering waves killed an estimated 230,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and other countries the day after Christmas.

The tsunami, which was triggered by a powerful 9.3-magnitude earthquake off the coast of northern Indonesia, is considered the deadliest natural disaster this century and one of the deadliest in recorded history.

It wiped out villages, disrupted livelihoods and hit a number of popular tourist spots, killing locals as well as visitors from the United States and around the world.

NBC News spoke with three Americans who survived the disaster in Thailand about their experiences.

Dr. Libby North, a neurologist from Portland, Oregon, was on vacation with her friend Ben Abels in Ko Phi Phi, an island group between Phuket and the Straits of Malacca. On the morning of Dec. 26, 2004, they had gone kayaking and spent some time at the pool before returning to their bungalow right on the beach, which was packed with travelers.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/indian-ocean-tsunami-anniversary-survivors-2004-rcna184479

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