Dec 26: Indian Ocean Tsunami's Fury, China's Rail Marvel Unveiled

• December 26, 2004: A magnitude 9.1 undersea earthquake off Sumatra triggered a devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, killing over 230,000 across 14 countries.
• One of history's deadliest natural disasters, the tsunami flattened villages and wiped out communities due to a lack of an early warning system.
• The disaster prompted an unprecedented international humanitarian response and led to significant investment in early warning systems globally.
• December 26, 2012: China launched the world's longest high-speed rail route (2,200 km) connecting its capital Beijing with Guangzhou.
• The Beijing-Guangzhou HSR cut travel time from 22 to 8 hours, transforming travel and boosting economic development across regions.

Why It Matters: December 26 marks a day of immense natural disaster with the 2004 tsunami and a technological leap with China's 2012 HSR.