On December 26, 2004, what is believed to be the most significant and lethal tsunami ever struck Indonesia and the surrounding countries. The Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 is considered to be the deadliest tsunami event in history, killing more than 230,000 people across 14 countries.
This event, while geographically distant, serves as a stark reminder of the potential impact of natural disasters, even in regions like Idaho.
National Geographic Channel will air the exhaustive docuseries on the anniversary of this event. Executive producers Tanya Winston and Danny Horan and director Daniel Bogado, the Emmy Award-winning filmmaker of Nat Geo's "9/11: One Day In America," will present "Tsunami: Race Against Time" to the small screen.
This new docuseries weaves never-before-seen footage with new testimony and deeply personal accounts from the survivors, scientists, journalists, and rescuers who witnessed the tragic event.
Producers spent three years discovering approximately 300 hours of archival footage, including moments never seen before, from around the world and conducting interviews with over 100 individuals, some speaking on the record for the first time about their experience. Their chronicled research will give viewers the full impact of the devastating December 26, 2004 events.
The archival footage is interspersed with first-person testimony. Producers used billions of raw data points from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to create a high-resolution, moving simulation throughout each episode.
This docuseries relies on science and collaborates with earth scientists, local experts, and survivors to establish the timings of the destructive tsunami surges' arrival and spread.
EPISODES
The Wave
Premieres Nov. 24 at 9/8c on Nat Geo; Streams Nov. 25 on Disney+ and Hulu
A massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean sets off a tsunami that, within minutes, arrives in the bustling city of Aceh, causing unprecedented havoc and devastation. This film follows the desperate struggle to survive of city-dwellers in Indonesia and tourists in Thailand caught in the unfolding catastrophe, as well as the scientists working against the clock to warn the world.
Thailand
Premieres Nov. 24 at 10/9c on Nat Geo; Streams Nov. 25 on Disney+ and Hulu
After a massive earthquake triggered the deadliest tsunami in recorded history, multiple waves hit Thailand. As the beaches of popular resorts are pummeled by unstoppable torrents of water, locals and tourists work together to save lives. In the chaotic aftermath, survivors separated by the waves desperately search for their loved ones.
Breaking News
Premieres Nov. 25 at 9/8c on Nat Geo; Streams Nov. 25 on Disney+ and Hulu
The tsunami hits Sri Lanka. A 1000 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, waves wreck a train and destroy coastal cities. Doctors fight to save every life they can. As disaster spreads across the entire Indian Ocean, journalists race to break the news to the world, and people wake up to the devastating reality that their loved ones have been swept away.
Rescue
Premieres Nov. 25 at 10/9c on Nat Geo; Streams Nov. 25 on Disney+ and Hulu
In the aftermath of the deadliest tsunami in history, tourists become stranded on an island devastated by the force of the waves. With hundreds of casualties, survivors from around the world must work together to save lives. Against all odds, they pull off some of the most miraculous rescues of the day. But as the water recedes, the accurate scale of the global calamity becomes clear.
Tune in: "Tsunami: Race Against Time" premieres on two nights, beginning November 24 at 9/8c on National Geographic with two back-to-back episodes. All episodes will stream on November 25 on Disney+ and Hulu.
