On crowded beaches, panic

PENANG, Malaysia -- On any normal Sunday, the public beaches at Batu Ferringhi on this island state are filled with a mix of tourists and residents seeking refuge from the equatorial sun. But yesterday's Boxing Day holiday swelled the usual numbers with jet skiers, swimmers, boaters, and paragliders. No one had any idea, or warning, that a giant tidal wave, triggered by one of the world's largest earthquakes 370 miles away in Sumatra, was bearing down on them.

The first wave struck at about 1 p.m. local time, about three hours after the earthquake's tremors were felt. Though there were reports of 20-foot waves in some areas, locals described the ocean swells more as lines of churning, roiling cascades of powerful waves that struck with shocking speed, creating swirling undercurrents that quickly pulled everything in their path out to sea.

When the waves receded, the 5-mile stretch of beaches was transformed, dotted with ocean debris from smashed fishing boats, pools of mud, buoys, and other flotsam. Many of the wooden shacks and aluminum shanties that sit nestled among the five-star hotels along the snaking coastal road were pushed off their foundations and flooded, their contents bobbing in the suddenly calm waters.

Panic ensued as people rushed the beach to search for loved ones while fearing that another wave would sweep them away. The first official mention of casualties said six people were missing and presumed dead.

But immediately, the talk among witnesses was that the death count would go much higher. And it did.

Within hours, the number of confirmed deaths in all of Malaysia had climbed to 53, with another 34 missing and presumed dead. Penang was hit hardest: 38 dead and 30 missing. The second worst-hit area was Kedah State in northern Malaysia facing the straits of Malacca, Reuters reported.

Already, officials had declared it the worst natural disaster in the country's history. Because the Batu Ferringhi area faces east toward Peninsular Malaysia and lies along a protected harbor, the resort area was shielded somewhat from the intense tsunamis that struck open-sea port cities in other areas of South and Southeast Asia, killing thousands.

But few found solace in that yesterday. At around 3 p.m. local time, a second ferocious wave crossed the Andaman Sea and surged toward the island. This one looked more like the quintessential giant surf of disaster movies -- a white-capped wall of muddy soup -- and it seemed to get taller as it moved toward the beach. The awe of the scene quickly gave way to panic as onlookers rushed to escape the wave, which lost energy as it struck the beach but contained enough power to empty into the basements of shopping malls and floors of commercial establishments along shore, increasing the already substantial property damage.

The constant wail of sirens from police, ambulances, and rescue vehicles punctuated the eerily still air. Longtime residents remarked that they had never heard such an extended chorus of emergency sounds on their peaceful island state.

A cleaning woman at a local high-rise condominium was pale as she rushed down a hill to check on her family. Many others said they had friends or relatives in Sumatra, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and other areas that were reportedly harder hit. A local fisherman could be seen in the bay standing on his overturned boat, awaiting rescue. One beach resident had tied a giant rope to his mud-bound jeep and attached it to a tree to keep it from floating away. The streets quickly became clogged with the curious, both on foot and in cars and motorbikes, preventing easy passage for rescue vehicles.

It will be a long time before Penang is back to normal, but already there were signs of resignation and resiliency among the locals. Last night, one of the ubiquitous food hawkers busied himself cooking and selling fried noodles, telling people he had lost everything: His home was flooded, pushed off its foundation. Why, one tourist asked, was he continuing to work?

"What to do?" the man said. "I may as well try to earn some money today so that I can stay in a hotel tonight."