Phang Nga and Phuket, Thailand
Phang Nga and Phuket were two of six southern Andaman coast provinces that were damaged by the tsunami. They provinces are famous for sightseeing areas such as Khao Lak and Patong. Therefore, reinforced concrete (RC) buildings are common in this area. Regarding structural damage, 4,806 houses were affected by the tsunami, of which 3,302 houses were destroyed completely, and as many as 1,504 were partly damaged. The maximum water level of approximately 15 m reported at Khao Lak in the Phang Nga province and of 7 m at Kamala and Patong Beach in Phuket gave these areas their respective distinction as the worst and second-worst areas, with structural damage to 2,508 and 1,033 houses, respectively. High-resolution satellite images (IKONOS) taken before and after the tsunami event were used for visual damage interpretation.