Population Displacement and Mobility in Sumatra after the Tsunami

Abstract

The Indian Ocean tsunami of December, 2004 was one of the most severe natural disasters in human history and resulted in extensive relocation by people living in damaged areas. We describe post-tsunami geographic mobility in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra in Indonesia, the area worst-affected by the tsunami. Data from a unique longitudinal survey of 10,000 households who were interviewed both before and after the tsunami are used to quantify and map various dimensions of mobility and to provide insights into the individual, household and contextual factors that influence mobility. Levels of mobility increased dramatically with the extent of tsunami damage. Displacement from heavily damaged areas occurred primarily beyond the community of origin. Results from multivariate statistical models indicate that in damaged areas individuals were displaced similarly across demographic and socioeconomic lines, and that semi-voluntary decisions about mobility were influenced by household assets and prior livelihood strategies.

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