The great mega thrust M 9 Sumatra earthquake on 26 December 2004 at 06:28:53 am IST created the most devastating tsunami in the known history. The deadly tsunami waves lashed low-lying towns adjoining the coastline of eleven countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka, causing more than 150,000 deaths. Closest Indian landmasses to the epicentre are Andaman and Nicobar Islands over a narrow arc of about 800 km in the Bay of Bengal. The maximum intensity of shaking (on the MSK scale) along the Andaman–Nicobar Islands may be placed at VII and that along the mainland Indian coast at V. It resulted in the death of over 10,000 persons in India with over 5600 persons missing. Extensive devastation of the built environment occurred across the populated Andaman–Nicobar Islands and the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala along the mainland coastline of India.