Humanitarian relief to aid the victims of the Southeast Asian tsunami began when the disaster struck on December 26, 2004. Any work for the current situation, however, must be informed by experience accumulated since humans first experienced natural disasters. Organized relief and redevelopment agencies have perhaps the most easily available precendent information for disaster relief in a variety of situations, but it is important not to forget the personal experiences and local knowledge that come from communities that have repeatedley confronted and surmounted the challenge of natural disasters.

For the purposes of these case studies, relief and rebuilding are organized into the categories of built environment, community and ecology/restoration. A section on mitigation/prevention of tsunami hazards provides additional information that applies to all three of the categories.