From Blogs to Bluesky How Social Media Shapes Disaster Response Today

Two decades ago, the Indian Ocean tsunami brought massive destruction, killing over 220,000 people across many countries. At that time, social media did not exist, and news of the disaster came through television, and radio. Now, social media has changed how we handle disasters—helping find missing people, sharing news quickly, and raising funds for those in need.

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On December 26, 2004, a huge earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 caused a tsunami that struck countries like Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka. Back then, it took days for people to understand how bad the disaster really was. Without fast communication tools, the world learned about the tragedy slowly.

Mark Oberle, a survivor who was in Phuket, Thailand, during the tsunami, remembers how hard it was to get information. The tsunami hit Patong Beach, leaving destruction behind. In the days after, Oberle wrote a blog to share updates with his family, friends, and others who wanted to know more.

He shared that tourists from Europe were the first to hear about the scale of the disaster. “They got text messages from people back home,” he said. At first, people thought the earthquake was small and local. Later, they realized it was centered near Indonesia and had caused damage across many nations.

Since then, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become very important during disasters. Today, they help people share updates instantly, warn about dangers, and locate missing loved ones. Crowdfunding through social media also allows people around the world to donate money to help victims quickly.

The Indian Ocean tsunami was one of the worst disasters in history. While we cannot stop natural disasters, better technology and tools like social media are now helping save lives and support communities in need.