20 years after the tsunami: The legacy of the disaster is a strong international emergency preparedness

There is one experience that stands out in forensic odontologist Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev’s memory.

She is a forensic odontologist at Aarhus University and was part of the international emergency response team that assisted Thailand in registering and identifying the many people who died due to the disaster on 26 December 2004.

In January 2005, she found herself on the island of Phuket, in the same spot where many Danes were on holiday when the deadly wave washed over the beaches of Thailand.

"Even though I was mentally prepared for what I would encounter it was the sheer scale of the devastation that struck me. Numerous buildings along the beaches had been smashed to rubble and large boats had been tossed hundreds of metres onto the shore by the massive water masses. People were walking aimlessly among the debris, still searching for their missing relatives - even though this was several weeks after the tsunami. That's when I really realised the enormity of the disaster," says Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev.

Identification began in Denmark

The Danish authorities quickly realised on 26 December 2004 that an unknown number of Danes were among the victims of the tsunami, and the Danish emergency response was activated.

Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev spent the first few week in Denmark collecting and registering information about the Danes who were missing

in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish National Police. She collected the dental records of the missing Danes and systematised the information she received, which was then sent to the areas where the bodies of those who had died in the tsunami were being examined. The goal of the examinations was to compile descriptions of the victims, which could then be compared to information about the individuals who were missing.

Danish health data registers and dental information played a key role in identifying the deceased. Around half of the victims were identified primarily through dental records, and dental information played a significant role in identifying a further 30 per cent of the victims.

"For decades, Denmark has maintained a well-organised dental care system for both children and adults, a system than included detailed records and X-rays. These records proved crucial when it came to identifying the victims, and we discovered that Denmark was far better equipped in this regard than many other countries," says Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev.

An effective emergency response

When she arrived at the site of the disaster at the end of January, she joined the international team that was registering and analysing findings about the deceased. The computer programme they were using was systematically fed with post-mortem data, which the search engines then used to match with information on deceased and missing persons. A slow but effective job, as Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev remembers.

Despite the scale of the tragedy, 45 out of 46 Danish victims were successfully identified. Only one Dane was never found.

"It's incredible when you think about how chaotic everything was," says Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev.

For her, the experience stands as a testament to what international collaboration can achieve – even under the most extreme conditions.

The tsunami resulted in an improved emergency management structure. Since then, Interpol has developed structured identification systems, and Denmark has introduced 'Danskerlisten' (the Danes abroad list) that allows citizens to register their travel details on the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s website. This improves the chances of finding Danish citizens abroad in the event of a disaster.

"It was impressive to see how the many different countries came together to solve such a complex task. We learnt a lot from the situation. It’s changed the way we work and the world is better prepared should a similar disaster occur," says Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev.

She herself was deployed to Thailand on two occasions, and the last Danish emergency response team members came home in April 2005.

The forensic odontologist from Aarhus University says experiences in Thailand 20 years ago have left an indelible mark on her life.

"It’s not that the memory haunts me, but I will carry it with me forever because of its sheer force. At the same time, it’s empowering to know I was a small cog in a large, well-functioning machine. The experience has strengthened me both professionally and personally," says Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev.

Facts

The tsunami in the Indian Ocean occurred on 26 December 2004 and was triggered by a 9.1-9.3 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra. The tsunami hit 14 countries and caused massive destruction, especially in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. More than 225,000 people lost their lives.

Contact:

Dorthe Arenholt Bindslev, forensic odontologist, dental specialist, PhD & professor emerita

Department of Forensic Medicine, Aarhus University

Mail: dbindslev@forens.au.dk

M: (+45) 2026 5192