The Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 was caused by an underwater earthquake, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, that struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. A massive tsunami with waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high, devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries. It is the one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, and the worst tsunami disaster.
The astrology is oddly vague with nothing much that would flag up such a devastating event. There was a Jupiter in Libra trine Neptune sextile Venus Mercury in Sagittarius which was light hearted; a slightly edgier Mars square Uranus but that is nothing pass remarkable. The midpoints have a few pointers including Pluto square Neptune/Node which is a natural disaster signature.
The October eclipses immediately prior both had Jupiter in the 10th located to Banda Aceh but nothing too ominous in terms of aspects. The April 2004 Solar Eclipse did have a high-risk Mars opposition Pluto but nothing else that would indicate the magnitude of the horror at the year end.
On the tsunami chart the 8th and 16th harmonics do look brutal and devastating with Mars Pluto Sun Venus aspected on one; and Mars Pluto Neptune Moon on the other.
There may be an astro answer in there but my flu-fogged brain can’t see it. Comments welcome.
While most tragedies happening in faraway places sadly get forgotten, this one has a firm place in Finnish collective memory due to Khao Lak in Thailand being one of the favourite destinations in Finland arriving to the tailend years of the Nokia boom. Family friends we met Christmas Eve at the graveyard of all places (it’s a tradition to light candles for the loved ones) were on their way to Khao Lak when their flight got rerouted. A popular singer I liked and had met 10 years earlier perished with his family. The future President, then a past Minister of Finance of a successful coalition government and an opposition MP, barely survived and gave an interview I remember, but according to his biography, he doesn’t due to trauma.
I personally had what I call my “sense of a place” going wild on Koh PhiPhi Center that was destroyed by two waves in 2010. There also were still people living in a “Tsunami Village” we came across by a chance as well as the memorial full of messages from Thai workers who were never found or if found fully recognized, because there weren’t dental records and the DNA couldn’t be retrieved. There were more of these in one place than those of Finns perished in total.
Thanks Marjorie, and I hope you’re feeling better soon.
I noticed some curious patterns for this terrifying event. And I think Tara is right when she says these events have been building up for a very long time and then a little slip is the trigger. I thought of hidden slow leaks from domestic appliances or plumbing – often invisible at first and take a long time to manifest in a kitchen lake, or bathroom puddle. Neptune having fun.
For the Tsunami, and previous Lunar Eclipse, this is one pattern:
Tsunami: Moon 28 Gemini, Pluto 22 Sagittarius
Lunar Eclipse: Ascendant 26 Sagittarius, MC 27 Virgo. The sometimes disastrous fixed star Scheat in Pisces was aligned with the IC – rising up, like Pegasus?
Indonesia 1945: Asc 26 Virgo, MC 27 Gemini. Jupiter 28 Virgo (Neptune 4 Libra)
Sri Lanka 1948: Uranus 22 Gemini opposing Jupiter 21 Sagittarius
Sri Lanka 1972: Pluto 29 Virgo, Moon 26 Virgo
Thailand 1782: Jupiter 28 Sagittarius opposing Uranus 29 Gemini
Following Marjorie’s suggestions about earlier eclipses, there was a Solar Eclipse 22 Sagittarius in December, 2001. It was sextile Uranus, 21 Aquarius. Chiron was around 28 Sagittarius. It was in the Saros Series 3 South. Brady writes: “There is a large emtional component, as the Pluto is involved, and a sense of traumatic transformation.” Also associated with sudden endings.
The transiting Uranus for the Tsunami was 3 Pisces square Mars 0 Sagittarius. That taps into another pattern, but I haven’t had time to investigate fully!
I notice the true North Node is about to move from Taurus to Aries. Not sure why that would be relevant other than it’s going from the most fixed grounded sign into a bit of let’s shake things up.
Dear Marjorie
Thank you for all your work and sharings, been following you for years !
Best wishes for a full recovery , may 2025 bring you the best⭐️
Greetings from Lyon France
I remember that tsunami–I was teaching 6th graders earth science. We read in the textbook about that specific fault under the ocean. Then school was out for vacation and the earthquake and resulting tsunami came shortly after our lesson. It was a weird coincidence. I live near the ocean in a tsunami zone. That the waves can be 100 feet tall amazes me. We are having King tides here in California and the surf has been fierce–but not 100ft tall.
Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.
To everyone–a peaceful holiday season.
I remember the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami very well. The destruction was felt and seen from Indonesia all the way to the coastal regions of Somalia and Kenya.
If I remember correctly, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand suffered the most casualties.
I asked my Mother (she does harmonic astrology) to look at the astrology for this catastrophic event but she too was baffled by the lack of clarity in the charts.
I do remember many of the Vedic astrologers claiming they predicted this event. However, since I know very little about Vedic Astrology, I have no idea what they were looking at to make such a prediction.
Hope you are feeling tip top very soon . Thanks for another insightful year
Thank you for your continued work through the year, it is always much appreciated.
Not much in the tsunami chart. Saturn opp Chiron which has been present with several notable plane crashes and bombings, nothing weather related. 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami had Uranus opp Neptune and Pluto conjunct north or south node (I forget which!) which seems spot on. The Uranus /Neptune conjunction in Aqua in 1993 did bring a tsunami in Japan. The only thing here is that if you take the modern rulers they are in each others sign but that is clutching at straws really.
It could be clutching at straws, but the mutual reception between Uranus and Neptune is unusual. Acting as one, the midpoint at 23 Aquarius links with the Pluto to produce a yod onto the Saturn at 25 Cancer. The Moon rules the tides usually, so you can think of a tsunami as a temporary loss of control from the moon and the sign of Cancer. The condition of the Moon was void of course and out of bounds, not quite in control or following normal rules – the wheel was taken by a stressed Saturn in Cancer, pressured by the other outer planets into a big and sudden correction.
That’s my take, but I think there will be some interplay of a combination of factors. Things like this kind of natural disaster, where geological tensions have been building for 100’s of years probably just take a little slip rather than the massive trigger we think it takes
Marjorie, rest up, I hope you’re feeling better soon
I have a faint inkling that it may be in previous eclipses the answer lies. As in the 1999 August eclipse not really triggering until two years later. But I need to clear my head and my inbox before I plough through those.
Thank you everyone for kind thoughts. Just the standard bug that is doing the rounds and is receding in my case but a monumental bore.
Last full solar eclipse of saros cycle with Pluto saturn north node in Virgo conjunction with Jupiter and mercury and Venus ..all doing sextile or square with mars on one side and Neptune and Uranus conjunction as square to North node
Not hazy but too close to confirm sextile or square but Pluto saturn north node conjunction square Neptune Uranus conjunction and mar Jupiter conjunction on other side
FIXED STARS & PARANS Acumens, Heliacal Rising Star…”A stinging attack
that can weaken.” Heliacal Setting, El Nath…”Tip of bull’s horns; having
power over waters.”
Phact rises as Sun sets…”Ship Argo, crashing thru’ the waves on unchartered waters.”
Venus on IC when Dubber rises…”The health of the community.”
Mars rises when Marfak sets…”Aggressive or violent action.”
Jupiter & Vindemiatrix on IC…”Widow-maker; many deaths.”
Saturn sets when Pollux sets…”Lives altered by a disaster.”
Wishing you a speedy recovery and a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year. Thank you for another year of fascinating analyses of the news and the people who make it.
Some technical follow-ups post earthquake from NASA.
“https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-details-earthquake-effects-on-the-earth/”
The earth shrank slightly, causing it to rotate faster. North Pole shifted.
I hope you get better soon. I enjoy your insights. Have a Happy New Year.