Blogs to Bluesky: social media shifts responses after 2004 tsunami [Video]

The world’s deadliest tsunami hit nations around the Indian Ocean two decades ago before social media platforms flourished, but they have since transformed how we understand and respond to disasters — from finding the missing to swift crowdfunding.

When a 9.1-magnitude quake caused a tsunami that smashed into coastal areas on December 26, 2004, killing more than 220,000 people, broadcasters, newspapers and wire agencies were the main media bringing news of the calamity to the world.

Yet in some places, the sheer scale took days to emerge.

Survivor Mark Oberle was holidaying in Thailand’s Phuket when the giant waves hit Patong beach, and penned a blog post to fend off questions from family, friends and strangers in the days after the disaster.

“The first hints of the extent were from European visitors who got text messages from friends back home,” said Oberle, adding people initially thought the quake was local …