The tragic scenes of human suffering in the wake of the Asian tsunami in late December 2004 have thrown into sharp relief the Earth's destructive power (Fig. 1 ). Caused by a tectonic event off the coast of Sumatra, it could be described as a very large earthquake, an unusual tsunami and a massive disaster. Or, with a longer view, it could be considered a normal feature of a convergent plate boundary. Both views are correct. Figure 1 Open in figure viewer PowerPoint Mass destruction after the tsunami hit the village on the sand bar at Phi Phi Island, Thailand, with unscathed limestone hills behind (Rex Features).
