The morning of December 26, 2004 began like any other for tourists and locals across the Indian Ocean. But by evening, the world had witnessed one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. A 9.1-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra unleashed a tsunami that claimed 230,000 lives, including 26 Australians.
For central Victorian Melinda Kennedy, a last-minute decision to board a ferry instead of a speedboat saved her life. The Aussie and her friends were en route to Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands when the tsunami struck. At sea, their ferry rolled over violent waves, described by Kennedy as a “massive storm.”
She recalled the harrowing hours onboard.
“They told us we weren’t going to make it. Children were crying; it was so hard to believe what was happening.”
By the time they returned to Phuket, destruction surrounded them.
“Buildings were damaged, speedboats were upside down in buildings—it was nuts.”
The front of the hotel where the Australian tourist was staying was obliterated, forcing her to sleep on the beach. The chaos, including widespread looting, was unforgettable.
Meanwhile, Bendigo resident Liana Elias experienced the disaster from Medan, North Sumatra. Preparing for a wedding, she initially mistook the earthquake’s tremors for dizziness.
“I couldn’t stand properly.”
Though reassured it was a routine quake, news of the tsunami began trickling in, leaving the Aussie bride and others scrambling to escape. Airports turned chaotic as thousands fled the devastation, reported The Leader Australia.
Back in Australia, Lieutenant Penny Brennan was mobilised for tsunami relief in Banda Aceh. Witnessing mass graves and rubble-strewn streets, she spent nine weeks aiding survivors, delivering babies, and performing amputations under dire conditions.
“Even now, I’m grateful for every hot shower.”
As the world marks 20 years since the disaster, these stories remind us of resilience, survival, and gratitude amidst unimaginable tragedy.
In another account, Czech supermodel Petra Nemcova revisited her harrowing experience in a Good Morning America interview with Diane Sawyer. The 45 year old model was vacationing at Thailand’s Khao Lak resort with her boyfriend, photographer Simon Atlee, when the tsunami struck.
The story Australian survivor retells harrowing 2004 tsunami ordeal as seen on Thaiger News.
