Morethan12300peoplewerekilledandtensofthousandslefthomelessafterapowerfulunderseaearthquakeunleashedgianttsunamiwavesthatcrashedintothecoastsofsouthandsoutheastAsia.

The8.9magnitudeearthquakethatstruckofftheIndonesianislandofSumatraearlyonSundaywasthebiggestin40years.Ittriggeredwavesthatrearedupintowallsofwaterashighas10meters(30feet)astheyhitcoastlinesinIndonesiaSriLankaIndiaandThailand.

Aidagenciesrushedstaffequipmentandmoneytotheregionwarningthatbodiesrottinginthewaterwerealreadybeginningtothreatenthewatersupplyforsurvivors.

Rescueworkersalsospokeofbodiesstillcaughtupontreesafterbeingflunginlandbythewaves.

“Ijustcouldn’tbelievewhatwashappeningbeforemyeyes”BoreeCarlsonsaidfromahotelintheThairesortofPhuket.

“AsIwasstandingthereacaractuallyfloatedintothelobbyandoverturnedbecausethecurrentwassostrong”saidthe45-year-oldSwede.

“IheardaneeriesoundthatIhaveneverheardbefore.Itwasahighpitchedsoundfollowedbyadeafeningroar”saida55-year-oldIndianfishermanwhogavehisnameasChellappa.

“Itoldeveryonetorunfortheirlife.”

InIndonesiaanarchipelagoof17000islandsoneofficialsaidnearly4500peoplehaddied.TheworstaffectedareawasBandsAcehthecapitalofAcehProvincewhere3000werekilled.Morethan200prisonersescapedfromajailwhenthetsunamiknockeddownitswalls.InSriLanka（斯里兰卡）thedeathtollalsoreached4500and1millionpeopleor5percentofitspopulationwereaffected.ItwastheworstnaturaldisastertohitSriLanka.HundredsofthousandsofSriLankansshelteredinschoolsandtemplesovernightandofficialsexpectedthedeathtolltorisefurtheroncerescuersresumedsearchesafterdaybreak.InsouthernIndiawhereatleast3000wereestimatedtohavediedbeacheswerelitteredwithsubmergedcarsandwreckedboats.Shantiesonthecoastwereunderwater.

Thaigovernmentofficialssaidatleast392bodieshadbeenretrievedandtheyexpectedthefinaltolltoapproach1000.

Theearthquakeofmagnitude8.9asmeasuredbytheU.S.GeologicalSurvery(news-websites)struckat7:59a.m.(1959EST).Itwastheworld’sbiggest