Le tsunami du 26 décembre 2004 : chronologie et reconstitution de la catastrophe dans la région de Banda Aceh

We established an extensive database of tsunami field evidence in order to facilitate various numerical models of the 26 December 2004 tsunami in the Banda Aceh district of Sumatra, Indonesia. Inputs provided by 12 weeks of efforts during seven field trips include field measurements of runup, tsunami heights, flow depths, flow directions, and events’ chronology. We deliver detailed inundation maps of the western and northern coasts of Banda Aceh.About ten waves reached the coast. The maximum tsunami height reached 35 m during the third wave on flat areas and the maximum runup was 51 m measured on hill slope. This value is the highest runup ever measured in human history for a co-seismic tsunami event. The main hydrologic characteristic of the 26 December 2004 tsunami is the break of the main wave up to 3 km inland from the shoreline. The data collected, such as the numerous warning signs, could help further prevention actions