Fifth-largest earthquake in more than a century

ONE of the largest earthquakes yet to strike the planet sent huge tidal waves tearing into countries across Asia.

Measuring 9 on the Richter scale, the quake, just off Sumatra, Indonesia, was the fifth-largest in more than a century.

Here is a summary of the countries and areas worst affected:

Sri Lanka: 13,000 dead

Waves as high as 18ft ripped across the east coast of the island, including tourist hotspots.

The capital of Colombo was hit by flash floods, but the provinces of Muttur and Trincomalee were among the worst hit.

At least a million people had to flee their homes and head for high ground, some carrying dead and injured loved ones.

India: 7,110 dead

More than a thousand miles of south-east India was battered by waves as high as 12ft as the tsunami tore ashore, destroying all in its path.

Early yesterday, a fresh tremor struck in the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal with an initial magnitude of 6.0. Details of casualties and damage were not immediately known.

The state of Tamil Nadu, and its capital Madras, saw among the worst scenes, but the Andhra Pradesh province and the more popular tourist area of Kerala were also hit.

The Andaman and Nicobar islands were also devastated.

Indonesia: 5,000 dead

The unstable Aceh region on the northern tip of Sumatra island suffered the full force of the tsunami, generated by the huge earthquake whose epicentre was just 65 miles off its coast.

Bodies were left hanging from trees as the waters receded while the Aceh capital, Banda Aceh, was littered with collapsed buildings.

Thailand: 1,000 dead

Cars and household debris littered the sea and hospital wards, especially in the tourist hotspot of Phuket, were crammed with stunned, blood-covered victims.

Locals and visitors fled to the hills as the wall of water crashed on to the west coast of southern Thailand.

Malaysia: 52 dead

Waves struck villages scattered along the north-west coast, terrifying even the most experienced locals.

Many victims had been swimming or riding on jet skis on the beaches of Penang island to the north west, which was hit by 16ft waves. Others were killed on the mainland states of Kedah and Perak and flash floods hit resorts elsewhere.

Maldives: 52 dead

The tsunami sent 4ft high waves crashing on to the low-lying capital of Male.

Much of the city was left underwater and the airport was forced to close but later reopened.

Many of the country’s 200 islands remained out of contact.

Burma: 34 dead.

The south east coast is feared to have been hit but the country is notoriously resistant to releasing information following such disasters.

Bangladesh: 2 dead

Huge waves slammed into the southern port of Chittagong and caused widespread flooding in at least 30 central, southern and western districts.