The catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, claimed over 200,000 lives and caused widespread devastation across multiple nations. The extent of the damage could have been mitigated, if communities had knowledge of tsunamis, understood their risks, prepared for such natural hazards, and left for higher grounds before the tsunami arrived. The event underscored the critical importance of community-based disaster risk reduction strategies and encouraged efforts worldwide to strengthen community resilience against coastal disasters. This article evaluates progress in community-based disaster risk reduction following the Indian Ocean Tsunami by analyzing the efforts of community response to major coastal disasters in various countries. We focus on the integration of indigenous knowledge with disaster management efforts, the role of education and public awareness programs, the challenges of sustaining initiatives, and the importance of multi-stakeholder involvement. By synthesizing lessons learned from diverse coastal disasters, this study contributes to the development of more effective and sustainable community-based disaster risk reduction strategies. It identifies the remaining issues and proposes essential policies that prioritize community resilience.