Remembering the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Seychelles

UNESCO-IOC's Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) jointly with UNDRR's Africa Office and the Disaster Risk and Management Division of Seychelles conducted eyewitness interviews for the “Preserving Past Tsunami Information for Future Preparedness” initiative in conjunction with the National Tsunami Ready Training in Seychelles held on 21-24 November 2023.

Interviews with eight eyewitness of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami were conducted in two districts affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. In Anse Royale, Mahe Island six survivors were interviewed including Leonne Florentine, Denis Meringo, Melvin Robert, Patrick Gilbert, Marie Yvonne Roucou, and Nazreen Alibhaye, and in Grand Anse, Praslin Island two survivors were interviewed including Dixson Lespreance and Marcel Andre.

“It was 26 of December, a holiday, that afternoon, I was planning to bring my children to the beach. Just before we left, I got a phone call from a relative telling me to turn on the television. There was an announcement for the people to stay away from the beach because of a phenomenon that happened in Indonesia, and a wave is traveling through the Indian Ocean. We cancelled going to the beach, as my house is on a hill, we can see the beach below, I saw the wave coming and out the beach, which was very not normal at that time,” Leonne Florentine of Anse Royale, Mahe Island.

At the time of the 2004 tsunami, there was no tsunami early warning system established for the Indian Ocean region. Nonetheless Seychelles officials observed the information presented by overseas broadcasting media and responded by informing the public to stay away from the beach. Leonne Florentine’s eyewitness account indicates an official warning was issued for coastal residents in Seychelles. Other eyewitnesses also confirmed that they heard the tsunami information on the television and radio, and from family members who watched the news.

Nazreen Alibhaye, eyewitness to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in Seychelles, at her house on the beach in Anse Royale. She was at home during the event and her house was damaged by the un-usual wave as she said. She and her family evacuated to higher ground.

The documentation of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Eyewitness in Seychelles was part of the IOTIC-BMKG Partnership Agreement activities. The stories of eight eyewitnesses were documented on 24-25 November 2023 as part of the National Tsunami Ready Training activities. UNDRR Africa supported the videographer for the documentation of eyewitness in Anse Royale on 24 November 2023. 

The devastating 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami resulted in over 230,000 fatalities and an estimated economic damage of US$10 billion the Indian Ocean region. In Seychelles, two people died, 4630 people were affected, and the economic damage was estimated at 3.6% of the GDP.