More than 230 thousand people were killed in 15 countries by the December 26, 2004, magnitude 9 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Aceh (pronounced AH-chay) in Indonesia was particularly hard hit.
People in Sumur remained stunned by how quickly the tsunami hit without warning. Sumur beach, located just a few kilometers (miles) from the tourist island of Umang near Java’s western tip, is popular for snorkeling and other water activities