How a 10-Year-Old’s Unbelievable Warning Seconds Before the 2004 Tsunami Saved Her Family
Ever wonder if a 10-year-old’s school lesson could stop a disaster? Well, buckle up, because that’s exactly what happened on a sunny morning in Thailand back in 2004. Just weeks after learning about tsunamis in geography class, young Tilly Smith spotted something quirky at the beach—foam on the water sizzling like a frying pan—and realized a monstrous wave was about to crash the party. Thanks to her sharp eye and quick shout-out, hundreds of tourists were saved from what could’ve been a catastrophic tsunami. Talk about schoolwork paying off in epic fashion! LEARN MORE
Minutes before the 2004 tsunami hit Thailand, a 10-year-old girl warned her parents it was coming. While they were on the beach, she recognized the warning signs of a tsunami, having learned about them in her geography class just two weeks earlier. Her quick thinking is credited with saving the lives of hundreds of tourists.
Tilly Smith had learned about tsunamis in her geography class. Tilly was equipped with that knowledge when the Smith family decided to walk along the beach for a morning walk. Suddenly, “I saw this bubbling on the water, right on the edge, and foam sizzling just like in a frying pan,” she remembered. “The water was coming in, but it wasn’t going out again. It was coming in, and then in, and then in, towards the hotel.” She recognized it as an indication that earthquake-driven waves were only minutes away.
