<< Then all of us survivors from the Shanika Beach Inn gathered at the top of the little hill and were given tea and biscuits by a family there. All around us was chaos. People screaming, crying, wailing, and running everywhere. No one had a clue what to do or what was going to happen next. Would the wave come again? What had caused it? Were we safe now? It was impossible to say.
Despite the chaos of this truly disastrous situation, I’ll never forget the hospitality, generosity and kindness shown to us that day by all the families in Tangalle who opened their doors to us that day. Their warmth and humanity will stay with me forever.
Equally impressive was the way all the travelers helped each other and stuck together. Most of these people I’ll never see again. In fact I didn’t even know most of their names, but I admire each and every one for coming together in those hours immediately after the tsunami.
Some examples:
Tomas (a Swiss guy) who was staying in the room next to us. His escape was similar to mine. He was trapped in his room and had to tear the flimsy plastic door in half to escape drowning. Afterwards we dressed each other’s cuts and discussed the best options for survival. I would love to be able to see him again, but I doubt I ever will.
Also an older German guy who voluntarily went back into the guest house to look for our bags, despite the obvious danger and his wife’s incessant protests. He returned minutes later clutching one of our rucksacks, from which we salvaged a first aid kit and a sleeping bag. They came in very handy indeed in the following days. I will always be eternally grateful to this man for his bravery and selflessness.
I remember also the Dutch guy who was running round trying to organize people. We had a strange second where we both reflected that Buddha’s teaching that ‘everything is impermanent’ seemed to be only too true after all! ‘Everything is an illusion’ indeed…especially the false security that we human beings carry with us most of the time, believing we are in control of this planet, when the reality is that we are not.
So now it must have been 10.30 or 11am local time. We had gone to the highest point we could find and slumped down on the road, not knowing what to do, but sticking together…especially me, Helen and Swiss Tomas.
It was terrifying not knowing if another monster wave could hit at any time. After what we had just witnessed anything seemed possible. It wasn’t long before word filtered through about what had happened…..there had been an earthquake near Sumatra, someone else saying there had been two, one off Tamil Nadu as well. Thousands were dead, 500 in Galle alone….Tsunami…..this was when the enormity of the situation started to take hold..but at the same time it was almost incomprehensible.
The main topic of conversation was about survival. Would it come again? When? How big? These were the only questions that mattered. >>
