Following the devastating “Boxing Day” Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, we joined a collaborative effort launched by the International Coral Reef Initiative to conduct surveys and compile a report on the post-tsunami status of coral reefs in affected countries.

In October 2005, the Foundation joined with Reef Check and The World Conservation Union (IUCN) to assess the damage to coral reefs on the west coast of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, associated with the December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami in which the earthquakes caused more physical damage to coral reefs than did the tsunami. The expedition covered over 600 kilometers of the northwestern tip of Indonesia and unveiled that human activities were the persistent cause of the long-term degradation of reefs in the Aceh area. After which, a comprehensive report was published by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN). The report highlighted the findings of the project and raised global awareness to the need for tsunami early warning systems and better management measures.