December 26: The earthquake in the Indian Ocean reaches 9.3 on the Richter scale, the third highest ever measured (now the moment magnitude scale is used). Around 4 am Swedish time, two hours after the earthquake, the ambassador in Bangkok, Thailand, contacts the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) and reports the event. The extent is not yet known.
The MFA sets up a telephone exchange where people can call. It cannot handle the volume of calls coming in. At most 90 per second. In the morning, Prime Minister Göran Persson (S) is informed about the event. The extent is still not known. Persson continues celebrating Christmas. Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds (S) goes to the theater in the evening.
During the first 24 hours, several reports arrive from the embassy about the disaster, and news agencies also report tens of thousands of deaths.
December 27: A meeting is held at the MFA to discuss how to strengthen the telephone exchange. Ambassador Jonas Hafström in Thailand participates by phone. He tearfully describes the devastation he has witnessed in Khao Lak and Phuket.
Foreign Minister Freivalds speaks directly with Hafström. It is likely that she first learns then that tens of thousands of Swedes are in the area. Later that day, the government holds a press conference, where they mention about ten Swedish fatalities.
The disaster is of such magnitude that it is difficult to comprehend and understand, says Prime Minister Persson.
December 28: The MFA meets with several major travel companies to coordinate and get a picture of the situation. 1,500 Swedes are missing. Foreign Minister Freivalds travels to Thailand with the Rescue Services Agency.
We have a national trauma, because very many Swedes are affected, she says.
December 29: Freivalds' trip to Thailand is criticized by the opposition. Moderate Party leader Fredrik Reinfeldt says, on his way to a party leader meeting:
I do not understand what she is doing there. One must understand that there is chaos, and if a foreign minister lands, it only binds resources. It is hardly her task to assess resource needs.
After the meeting, the tone from the opposition is somewhat more subdued:
We must stick together in this difficult situation, says Lars Leijonborg, party leader of the Liberal Party.
In the following days, criticism grows from those affected who eventually return home. Sweden is pointed out as slow, especially compared to how the Nordic neighboring countries have acted.
January 13: A disaster commission is set up to investigate the government's actions. The Riksdag's Constitutional Committee (KU) will also investigate the government.
January 17: Prime Minister Persson arrives in Phuket.
Reality is always more terrible than what you can see in pictures, he says, while criticism continues from both survivors and the political opposition for slow and confused actions.
December 2005: The disaster commission submits a highly critical final report. A few months later, in March 2006, the KU's investigation is complete. It results in six ministers, including Göran Persson, being criticized for their handling of the disaster.
August 2006: The Chancellor of Justice's investigation is complete. State Secretary Lars Danielsson (S) is criticized for having obstructed the Disaster Commission's work. Danielsson resigns.
October 2006: 119 previously unknown tapes with data traffic to and from the Government Offices during the tsunami disaster are found in boxes in a locked cabinet at the Government Offices. They had been lying there since the beginning of 2005. Then they were stored in a locked cabinet in an alarmed room. The chairman of the Disaster Commission, Johan Hirschfeldt, is tasked with examining the tapes.
November 2006: The Security Service (Säpo) is tasked with investigating whether tapes have disappeared. Säpo later finds that this is not the case.
February 2007: The government decides, after party leader talks, that the Disaster Commission will resume its work. They complete their second investigation in July the same year.
Corrected. An earlier version contained an incorrect year.
