Impossible tsunami. Does the tsunami rescue system work in Thailand
The earthquake of 2004 showed the full power and strength of the elements. Residents of Thailand to this day cannot recover from the incident, families were left without children, parents, brothers and sisters. Today in Indonesia, there is a whole system to warn residents of an impending disaster. If every tourist knows a minimum of safety rules, the chance of being saved during a disaster will be much higher.
In the open ocean, waves during a tsunami can reach a height of 1 m, near the coast they increase their height to 40 m. This is the reason that radars are not always able to warn people of danger: there is simply no threat in the ocean.
The main signs of an impending tsunami:
- earthquake;
- a sharp ebb, which takes a large mass of water;
- aquatic inhabitants remain on the shore without water due to a sudden ebb.
In this case, you should immediately collect all things and leave as far as possible from the epicenter. There is not always a warning about an impending disaster, since it is very difficult to notice an underwater earthquake.
The terrible disaster of 2004 was partly due to the silent response of the authorities to the morning's earthquake in the Indian Ocean. And also because of the inaction and ignorance of tourists, no one understood what to do. The last tsunami was more than 100 years ago, it seemed that the catastrophe would pass by.
The most terrible thing in a water cataclysm is not the first wave, which frightens with its appearance, but the huge amount of water that comes after it. Water stays in tons, washes away roads and houses, taking people along with it.
It is simply impossible to resist such an element, being at the epicenter. You should act immediately at the first sign of a tsunami and inform as many people as possible about the impending disaster.
Causes of earthquakes in Thailand
Earthquakes in Thailand occur due to the rapid movement of tectonic plates, colliding, they cause strong tremors.
A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake. The shocks affect the entire mass of water, and due to the displacement of land, waves arise. A deadly tsunami can be caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 or more on the Richter scale.
Earthquake triggers tsunami in Thailand In 2004, a tsunami triggered a collision between two tectonic plates. One of the plates moved 18 meters, which is equivalent to 20,000 atomic bombs. In just 2 minutes, millions of tons of water have moved in the ocean.
From the fault came a series of waves, which later covered the islands. The wave height is from 12 to 27 meters. This height is associated with the concentration of wave force in a more compact volume, the closer to the coast, the higher the land level, and less space for water.
Frequency of earthquakes and tsunamis in Thailand. Statistics for the last 20 years
An earthquake in Thailand occurs in places where tectonic plates are broken, the faults are quite far from the city, so tremors are infrequent here. But Indonesia is in the top countries in terms of the number of earthquakes.
| year | date | Epicenter | Earthquake strength (Richter scale) | Consequences |
| 1998 | 30.11 | O. Mangoul | 7,6 | 50 people died. More than 1 thousand houses were destroyed. |
| 2000 | 04.06 | O. Sumatra | 7,9 | 60 people died. |
| 2004 | 26.12 | Around the northern part of Sumatra | 8,9 | In Indonesia, 166 thousand people died. A total of 225 thousand dead. 2 million people were injured, 1 million were left homeless. |
| 2005 | 28.03 | O. Nias and Fr. Simelue, near about. Sumatra | 8,7 | 1.3 thousand people died. |
| 2006 | 27.05 | O. Java | 6 thousand people died, 20 thousand were injured, more than 100 thousand people were left without a home. | |
| 17.07 | South about. Java | 650 people died, 120 are missing. 1.8 thousand people were affected, 47 thousand were left homeless. All hotels in Pangandaran were destroyed. |
||
| 2007 | 12.09 | O. Sumatra | 7 | 21 people died and 88 were injured. |
| 2009 | South about. Sumatra | 7,6 | 1.1 thousand people died, several thousand were under the rubble of houses and were injured. | |
| 2010 | 25.10 | O. Sumatra | 7,8 | 413 dead, 88 people missing, 30 thousand lost their homes. |
| 2011 | 24.03 | Myanmar | 6,8 | 75 dead, about 100 injured, 240 houses destroyed. |
| 2012 | 11.04 | North about. Sumatra | 8,6 | The consequences are minimal, 5 people died of a heart attack. |
| 2014 | 05.05 | Myanmar | 7 | 1 person died, 20 were injured. Some public buildings and houses were destroyed. |
| 2015 | 28.07 | West of Abepur | 7 | 1 person is missing, in total 7 buildings were destroyed. |
| 2017 | 16.01 | O. Sumatra | 5,7 | Damage is minimal, no casualties. |
| 2018 | 28.09 | O. Sulawesi | 7,5 | 1.4 thousand people died, 2.5 thousand were wounded, 16 thousand people lost their homes. |
Description of the occurred natural disasters in Thailand
After the tragic events of 2004, the government regularly upgrades earthquake control equipment and notifies all residents in advance of the onset of a cataclysm, along the way evacuating residents. However, it is not always possible to curb the elements of nature and catastrophes occur from time to time.
Events in 2004
The earthquake triggered a tsunami that traveled at a speed of 320 km/h. Already at 10 o'clock in the morning it was on the coast of Thailand. People who were in the ocean did not feel anything, since the tsunami in deep water is almost imperceptible, the waves rise no more than 5 cm. 
The wave in 2014 was only 3 m high, but its length is about 600 m. The height of the wave can say little about the strength of the tsunami, much worse are the volumes of water that simply wash away the city.
Number of victims
More than 300,000 people were affected, about 2 million people were injured and 1 million were left homeless.
Consequences
After the tsunami of 2004, global changes took place. The coastline has changed, they have simply been erased by the elements. The water level in the ocean has changed. 
Scientists say that after the collision of such a force, there was a shift in the movement of the planet and the day was reduced by 3 milliseconds.
Events in 2010
the 25th of October. The earthquake happened on Sumatra. The shocks reached 7.8 points and were accompanied by aftershocks. There were about 10 shocks in total. The shocks caused a tsunami, with a wave height of up to 3 m.
Number of victims
413 died, 88 went missing, 30 thousand people lost their homes.
Consequences
More than 30 thousand people lost their homes.
In the village of Muntay, 80% of residential buildings have been razed to the ground. Improved natural disaster warning system.
Events in 2011
March 24. Earthquake in Myanmar with a magnitude of 6.8. 
The epicenter of the earthquake was on the border between Laos and Thailand.
Number of victims
75 dead, over 100 injured.
Consequences
More than 240 buildings were destroyed, there are missing ones that were under the rubble of houses. The tremors even reached Bangkok.
Events in 2012
11 April. An earthquake of magnitude 8.6 hit northern Sumatra. The epicenter was located 435 km from Banda Aceh. This was followed by powerful aftershocks of 8.2 points.
Number of victims
5 people died of a heart attack. 4 people were injured in car accidents provoked by tremors.
Consequences
The earthquake in Thailand was strong, but the consequences were minimal. In the first hour after the shocks, all electricity was turned off. There were several accidents, 5 people died of a heart attack. 
After the tremors, a tsunami warning was issued. In Thailand, the waves did not exceed 10 cm. But on the Aceh coast there were 3 small tsunamis with waves up to 1 m high.
Events 2014
5 May. The epicenter is Myanmar (Burma). An earthquake of magnitude 7, spread over more than 100 km.
Number of victims
One person died, about 20 were injured.
Consequences
Large cracks and holes formed in the asphalt pavement. The head of the Buddha statue was split, and the White Temple underwent some cosmetic problems with plaster, the spire of the temple squinted. Many residential and public buildings were damaged.
Events 2015
July 28th. The earthquake occurred a few kilometers to the west of the city of Abepur. The tremors reached 7 points.
Number of victims
1 teenager is missing.
Consequences
4 houses, 1 church, 2 public buildings were destroyed. There was a threat of landslides in the mountains.
Events 2017
January 16th. An earthquake of 5.7 points in Indonesia on about. Sumatra. 
The first shocks were recorded 18 km from the village of Kabandzhakhe.
Number of victims
There are no victims or injured. Only some facades of houses were damaged.
Consequences
Problems with the transmission of electricity, the facades of some residential buildings are broken. No major damage was recorded.
Events 2018
September 28 on about. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia, triggered a tsunami that caused the most damage. The epicenter was located near the Minahasa Peninsula. The catastrophe was followed by 170 aftershocks.
Number of victims
1424 dead, 2549 injured, 16 thousand people were left without a roof over their heads.
Consequences
A large number of deaths is due to the holiday, which hosted an open festival, attracting many people. 
More than 16 thousand houses and many public buildings were destroyed. The tsunami washed away the streets and left behind only piles of rubble. It caused mudflows, which also caused great damage and increased the death toll. One of the residential areas was completely covered by an avalanche.
Safe Time to Travel to Thailand
- March-May are hot and sultry months.
- September-October is the time of typhoons.
- October-March are busy "tourist" months.
March-May is a hot and humid season in Thailand, tourists do not really like this period and prefer to come during the "cold" months.
September-October is the time of rains on the islands. During this period, typhoons very often occur, some of them bring great destruction and sweep away everything in their path. Fortunately, severe damage is rare. All the power of typhoons does not reach the coast and remains in the seas, bringing only clouds and light rains to the island.
October-March are considered the coolest and busiest months. If you want to be in solitude, you will have to choose other days for rest. At this time, the humidity level decreases, the temperature becomes optimal for relaxing on the beach, and there is practically no rain. 
The safest place is in the bay of the South China Sea.
Indonesia is located on one of the most seismically active territories. Islands and settlements, including Thailand, are periodically visited by earthquakes and tsunamis with a power of 3 to 7 points.
This happens at least 2 times a year. This is due to active tectonic plates, which, due to their rapid movement, collide with each other, causing earthquakes. One of the tectonic plates moves 7 cm a year every year, which is very fast for a populated area.
Article formatting: Mila Fridan
Tsunami video
The largest tsunami in the Indian Ocean:
No one is immune from natural disasters. The tsunami in Thailand, which happened more than a dozen years ago, is a sad confirmation of this. However, is it worth now to refuse to rest in a paradise? Of course, it is up to you to decide, but we will still try to dispel your doubts.
Causes of the tsunami in Thailand in 2004
The tragedy of December 26, 2004 was caused by a powerful nine-point underwater earthquake. For many centuries, the two tectonic plates slowly moved towards each other, covering almost seven kilometers a year. The ocean platform was supposed to slip under the mainland, but instead there was a head-on collision. The tension that arose between them could not grow forever, and therefore the Indian plate shifted sharply by 18.5 m. Such a sudden gap caused a large-scale displacement of the water mass, which led to the formation of a tsunami almost 20 meters high.
The 2004 tsunami was caused by a massive 9.0 magnitude underwater earthquake. 2004 Thailand tsunami
On the morning of December 26, nothing foreshadowed trouble. When it all started, tourists and locals did not even feel the tremors. Only the animals began to behave strangely, getting away from the ocean. An hour after the earthquake, there was a grand ebb, exposing most of the coast. No one noticed a 15-meter wave moving at a speed of 1000 km / h until the last. The reason was that it was missing a crest, and therefore the threat became apparent too late.
Which regions are affected
Since the epicenter of the earthquake fell on the area near Sumatra, in addition to the kingdom, India, the Maldives, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and others suffered from the tsunami. The natural disaster caused the greatest damage to the western provinces of Thailand, bordering the Andaman Sea. The worst statistics were recorded in five regions:
- Phuket;
- Similan Islands;
- Phi Phi;
- Khao Lak;
- Lanta.
The entire coast was literally wiped off the face of the earth by thousand-ton waves. A hitherto uncounted number of fishing boats have been swept into the Indian Ocean. Since the entire communications system suffered from the tsunami, the whole world learned about the tragedy much later after the incident.
Map of countries affected by the disaster Terrifying Consequences
When the destructive waves went back into the ocean and the flood subsided, exotic Thailand was unrecognizable. Eyewitnesses reported that the coast seemed to have survived a nuclear explosion. All buildings, with the exception of those that had powerful structures, were demolished under the foundation. Fragments of bricks, concrete, slate, tiles, as well as other building materials were scattered around. In some places, cars and water vehicles were seen, abandoned by water on the roofs of the surviving buildings.
The horrific picture was complemented by the bodies of the dead, filling the streets of cities. In total, the disaster claimed the lives of about 8.5 thousand people, most of whom were tourists from numerous countries. The number of missing people remained unknown for a long time, and only after a while the authorities announced the exact figure - 2817 people.
The powerful earthquake of 2004 not only displaced the islands near Sumatra, but also changed the rotation of the planet.
Flood-ravaged Thailand Damage and losses
The disaster has significantly undermined the confidence in the most popular previously resorts in Asia. Because of the fear of the unpredictable elements, people refused to fly to Thailand or the islands. Several thousand Thais, whose income was associated with tourism, lost all their income and lost their jobs at once.
The fishing industry also had a hard time. Due to the mass destruction of fishing boats and gear, fishing has declined significantly. Thais massively refused to eat fish, as they believed that it feeds on corpses. Thus, this segment of the market began to become unprofitable.
Soon, the Thai government provided $1.7 billion in financial assistance to those affected by the tsunami. More than half of this money went to loans for business recovery. The rest was distributed as benefits to the families of the victims and people who lost their homes.
Video "The largest tsunami in the history of Thailand"
This film is dedicated to the largest natural disaster in the history of Southeast Asia.
Measures taken after the tragedy
After the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 8 thousand people, the Thai authorities installed a deep-sea warning system. She notes the slightest fluctuation amplitudes and gives a signal two hours before the disaster. Also, special buoys were placed along the Andaman Sea, fixing the speed of water flows. The government carefully developed evacuation plans, procedures, logistics. Almost all along the coast there are signs with the image of the shortest path to a safe place.
Is it necessary to be afraid of the tsunami in Thailand today?
It is impossible to predict in advance when the next tsunami will happen. However, having received bitter experience in the past, Thailand has reliably protected itself from possible disasters. A few years ago, when a disaster hit Phuket, the warning went off early, saving thousands of people from a terrible death. Then tourists and local residents managed to evacuate away from the coast in time. Thus, the installed security system has confirmed its effectiveness in natural disasters.
Disaster Procedure
The warning system will signal an impending tsunami in 1-2 hours. In case of a signal, tremors or a sharp ebb, you need to act in an organized and very prompt manner:
- quickly collect the necessary things, valuables, documents;
- alert as many people as possible about the danger;
- leave the coast, climbing into mountainous areas or away from the ocean;
- follow the special signs that show the escape route.
In the event of a threat, special signs must be followed A terrible tragedy will forever remain in the history of not only Thailand, but the whole world. The authorities of the kingdom learned a lesson from what happened and reliably protected their country from future disasters. Therefore, answering the question of whether it is worth flying to Thailand, the answer is unequivocal - yes!
Video, Tsunami, Thailand, Tsunami Thailand (Koh Phi Phi) — 12/26/2004
Eyewitness video. Tsunami in Thailand on December 26, 2004.
An undersea earthquake in the Indian Ocean that occurred on December 26, 2004 at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) triggered a tsunami that has been recognized as the deadliest natural disaster in modern history. The magnitude of the earthquake was, according to various estimates, from 9.1 to 9.3. This is the third strongest earthquake in the history of observation.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Indian Ocean, north of the island of Simeulue, located near the northwestern coast of the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). The tsunami reached the shores of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, southern India, Thailand and other countries. The height of the waves exceeded 15 meters. The tsunami caused enormous destruction and a huge number of deaths, even in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, 6900 km from the epicenter.
Died, according to various estimates, from 225 thousand to 300 thousand people. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the death toll is 227,898. The true death toll is unlikely to ever be known, as many people were swept into the ocean.
Tsunami propagation in the Indian Ocean
The earthquake north of Simeulue Island was originally estimated at 6.8 magnitude on the Richter scale. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) estimated it at magnitude 8.5 immediately after the incident. The moment magnitude, which more accurately estimates earthquakes of this magnitude, was 8.1. Upon further analysis, this score was gradually increased to 9.0. In February 2005, the magnitude of the earthquake was estimated at 9.3 magnitude. The PTWC accepted this new estimate, while the USGS puts the quake at magnitude 9.1.
Since 1900, the recorded earthquakes with comparable strength were the Great Chilean earthquake of 1960 (magnitude 9.3-9.5), the Great Alaska earthquake of 1964 in Ice Bay (9.2), the earthquake in 1952 near the southern coast of Kamchatka ( 9.0). Each of these earthquakes also caused a tsunami (in the Pacific Ocean), but there were significantly fewer deaths (a few thousand people at most) - perhaps because the population density in those areas is quite low, and the distances to more populated coasts are quite large .
The hypocenter of the main earthquake was at the point with coordinates 3.316° N. latitude, 95.854° E (3° 19′ N, 95° 51.24′ E), at a distance of about 160 km west of Sumatra, at a depth of 30 km from sea level (initially reported 10 km from sea level ). This is the western end of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an earthquake belt in which up to 81% of all the largest earthquakes in the world occur.
The earthquake was unusually large in a geographical sense. There was a shift of about 1200 km (according to some estimates - 1600 km) of rock at a distance of 15 m along the subduction zone, as a result of which the Indian plate moved under the Burma plate. The shift was not one-time, but was divided into two phases within a few minutes. Seismographic data indicate that the first phase formed a fault approximately 400 km by 100 km, located at about 30 km above sea level. The fault formed at a speed of about 2 km/s, starting from the Ase coast towards the northwest for about 100 seconds. Then there was a pause of about 100 seconds, after which the fault continued to form north towards the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The Indian Plate is part of the large Indo-Australian Plate that lines the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, moving northeast at an average speed of 6 cm per year. The Indian Plate meets the Burmese Plate, which is considered part of the larger Eurasian Plate, to form the Sunda Trench. At this point, the Indian Plate is subducting under the Burmese Plate, which contains the Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Islands, and northern Sumatra. The Indian Plate gradually slides deeper and deeper under the Burmese Plate until the rising temperature and rising pressure turns the subducted edge of the Indian Plate into magma, which is eventually ejected upward through volcanoes (the so-called Volcanic Arc). This process is interrupted due to plate adhesion for several centuries, until the build-up pressure causes a major earthquake and tsunami as a result.
With a sharp advance of tectonic plates, the seabed also rises by several meters, thereby giving rise to destructive tsunami waves. Tsunamis do not have a point center as such, which is erroneously assumed from illustrations of their propagation. Tsunamis propagate radially from the entire fault about 1200 km long.
The tsunami in Thailand was one of the largest natural disasters in modern history, which claimed the lives of more than 200 thousand people. In Thailand, 5,395 people died, most of them foreign tourists.
December 26, 2004 at 00:58 UTC, in the depths of the Indian Ocean, near the island of Simeulue in Indonesia, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 - 9.3 on the Richter scale.
This earthquake led to a vertical displacement of astronomically large volumes of water on the bottom line, hundreds and thousands of kilometers long. It spawned a series of waves that, within hours, brought monstrous destruction to the coasts of Asia - it was the worst natural disaster in the resort country of Thailand, resulting in serious damage to property, the environment and the economy.
How often do tsunamis happen in Thailand
Not often in Thailand. The fact is that in order for the resulting waves to become rampant, a number of conditions must match:
- earthquake more than 7 points;
- the epicenter of the earthquake is close to the bottom surface;
- significant vertical displacement of bottom parts relative to each other;
- the shock caused by the earthquake must resonate with the vibration of the water.
Often, traces of a tsunami are fixed only with special equipment: the waves generated as a result of an earthquake are several centimeters high and are invisible to people.
For example, this was the case in 2012, when an earthquake was recorded near the western coast of Thailand, namely near Sumatra, the Indian Ocean. An alarm was declared and an evacuation was carried out in Phuket.
The wave that reached was only 10 cm high: fortunately, the disaster did not happen.
On the other hand, the force of nature rebounded at the height of the 2004 tourist season, causing the so-called Great Indian Ocean Tsunami. The first wave reached the western coast 2 hours after the earthquake.
Unlike Sumatra, Thailand is lucky because the shallowness of the Andaman Sea slowed down the movement of the wave.
If the response system to such situations were debugged, it would be possible to notify of the approaching danger in advance and, if not to start an evacuation, then at least to make people rise to the hills, and not walk along the coast. The video shows in detail what kind of expansion this led to.
Thailand in its modern history did not know such large-scale natural disasters. The previous one, which was recorded in the sources, occurred more than 700 years ago.
Does the tsunami rescue system work in Thailand
The rescue system in Thailand began to be created after the events of 2004. It consists of two parts:
- wave warning;
- evacuation of the population and tourists.
In 2012, the opportunity presented itself to test the operation of the rescue system. According to the reviews of tourists who were at that time in Thailand in Phuket, not everyone managed to evacuate.
However, the warning system worked: tourists and hotel employees climbed to the roofs of buildings, those who managed to leave on a hill. That carefree and curious wandering along the coast, which was observed in 2004 (see video), was not.
What to do if there is a tsunami
1. Be calm. Even if there was an official tsunami alert in Thailand, no one knows how strong the wave will reach the coast. The likelihood of a repeat of the 2004 scenario is low. In addition, today, Thailand has one of the most powerful tsunami early warning systems in the world.
2. If there was no warning, and the sea suddenly "departed", then the rescue system in Thailand is not working again - it is unlikely. Drop everything and run away, following the signs.
4. There are always several waves. Between them there may be a break of more than an hour.
5. Going down to the shore is dangerous, even if everything seems to have calmed down.
Curiosity
In the spring of 2017, my family and I were vacationing in Phuket on Kata Beach. When most of the excursions were already over and the moment of resort idleness came, I wanted to learn more about the strength of the tsunami in Phuket that hit the eastern Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004.
Wikipedia provides complete information about the causes and consequences of the tsunami for the inhabitants of Southeast Asia. I was very interested to learn about the strength of the wave in Phuket. Did the wave reach our Kata Sea Breeze hotel, and if so, to what floor did the water rise, and so on.
I surfed the internet and found two stories. One story formed the basis of the film "The Impossible" (more on that below), and the other was published in Esquire magazine.
Tsunami in Phuket
“On the morning of December 24, 2004, my wife and five-year-old daughter and I flew on vacation to Thailand, to the island of Phuket. Before that, I had been to Thailand several times, but with my family I got out only the second time.
On the first day, due to jet lag, we overslept breakfast, but on the 26th we forced ourselves to get up on time. According to a purely Russian habit, I even went to the beach early to take comfortable sunbeds - I left my bag and towels there. During breakfast, at about 10 o'clock, we heard some excited screams from the beach. My daughter and I decided to go and see what was happening there. You never know, maybe the shark swam up.
Our hotel, Kata Beach, was located on the first line. A two-meter ramp rose from the beach to it, and we saw that the sea had come so close that all the beach chairs were in the water, and some things were floating on the surface. I was upset, because we had a bag there, towels. Some German grandmothers, who, as usual, woke up before everyone else and went to the beach before everyone else, swam up to this ramp, and people pulled them out.
Then the water began to decrease right before our eyes and receded quite far - 50-70 meters. Even part of the seabed was exposed. “A strange situation,” I thought, “I’ll go and go to the room for a video camera; All of this needs to be removed." There was no panic, the first wave rolled calmly and moved away. There was no blow or anything like that.
I went to the hotel, took a video camera; it took five minutes. And so I begin to shoot all this, my daughter and two children of our friends are standing nearby. Suddenly I see through the lens of a video camera that one of the fishing schooners, which was anchored at the pier, has risen and is rushing towards the coast. But not directly at us, but to the left - to where the restaurant was. The first thing I thought was: “She’s going to go to the restaurant now, is he crazy or something?” There was no breeze, no hesitation, absolute calm, but then I did not attach any importance to this. Only after a few seconds did he realize that it was this schooner that was being carried ashore with such force. I lower the video camera and see: a huge wave is rising in the ocean.
I shouted to the children: “Run!” - and they ran. The wave speed was catastrophic. Saved me, probably, that I'm an athlete. I understood that now I was going to be hit, and at that moment I simply grouped myself. I folded my arms and legs so as not to damage anything, and then, when I was hit and carried by a wave, I began to rake.
Then I felt something solid with my feet and realized that it was the roof of one of the hotel buildings. I sat down a little, pushed off from her with my feet, and the wave, retreating into the ocean, lowered me to the ground.
It was scary when I was down again. All these palm trees, sunbeds, chairs, tables - complete chaos around. The water began to roll back in such a powerful stream and dragged everything into the ocean.
People were screaming all around. The first instinct is to find the child. Water drags you to the ocean along with all sorts of objects: some boats, scooters. I still have a video camera dangling in my hand, and I am trying to find and catch my daughter in this river so that she is not swept into the ocean. I didn't see where she went when the wave hit me. Those 10-15 minutes were really hard to get through. And when I heard my wife cry - from the third floor of the hotel - that everything is in order, that my daughter is upstairs - it was real happiness.
Then they told me that everyone who ran to the hotel grabbed the children and carried them upstairs. Some dark-skinned man picked up my daughter.
I didn’t get seriously injured: I broke my knee, slightly injured my leg when I fell and tumbled in the water with all this garbage. Two Swedes went missing from our hotel. They went on a morning excursion and their boat went missing. Our hotel did not suffer very much - the ramp saved it, which dampened the wave a little. But from the hotel, which stood about three hundred meters from us, there was nothing left at all. Only a concrete frame and, the funny thing, a toilet that was firmly embedded in concrete.
Many hotels were destroyed, hospitals were overflowing with the wounded, so people who were left without shelter, money, documents were brought to large shopping centers. The first night we were afraid, waiting for a repeat of the strike, and also went into the depths of the island, spent the night in a shopping center, where they gave us a bed.
But after the first night we returned to the hotel. Everything was already working there, there was electricity, they cleaned it up, put in broken glass. On December 28, we were already sunbathing on the same beach. The corpses, thank God, did not come up, but there were a lot of objects in the sea. Found bags and documents; taken out and stacked on the beach, and then the police took everything away. We were evacuated by the Ministry of Emergency Situations on December 31."
After reading Sergey's story, every time I looked at the hotel ramp and tried to imagine the approximate height of the wave, its strength and the chaos that it generated on the island. The picture in my imagination caused a wave of goosebumps, but no more. And thank God.