Tsunami

In December of 2004, there were big waves in the ocean. They were too big. These waves were called tsunami waves. They hit many places near the Indian Ocean. They hit Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.

It was the day after Christmas. Many people had opened their gifts.

A big wave came to the shore. It was the biggest one that had been seen. Some people got their cameras. Others got scared and started to run.

No one knew that is was going to be so big. No one knew that it would make the houses and hotels fall down.

The waves hit hard. Beach chairs went flying into the air. The water was moving very fast. The water moved over the land.

The waves stopped. People looked for the people they loved. Some of them were alive. Others were missing. Some were dead. It was a very sad day.

The big waves had washed over the islands. They had washed over cities. They were gone.

There were other tsunamis at other times. There was a tsunami in Japan. When things like tsunamis and earthquakes happen, people from all over the world help each other.