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WAVE OF DEATH
Henley couples forced to flee for their lives Published on 31 December 2004
http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/archive.php?id=1195174045
 TWO Henley couples had to run for their lives after the tsunami, which has devastated countries bordering the Indian Ocean, wrecked their beach bungalows. Barrie and Jennifer Scott and Jim and Val Stoner were about to have breakfast when the giant wave struck the Bangtao Lagoon Bungalows in Phuket, Thailand, where they were staying. the wave cascaded through the resort, which is located on Bang Tao beach, a maid saved their lives by stopping them from running towards an area that was later devastated. The Scotts climbed on to the roof of a hut to avoid the water and the Stoners saved themselves by climbing up a water tower. a text message to a friend, Mr. Scott, a training consultant, wrote: “Did not feel the earthquake but witnessed the tidal wave first hand. We’ve got no clothes, no passport and no tickets. We are very lucky. Many bungalows around us were destroyed.” The Red Cross said the death toll from the Boxing Day disaster could rise to more than 100,000 people in 12 countries. was caused by a huge earthquake, which measured 8.9 on the Richter scale, just off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. The Scotts, from St. Andrews Road, and the Stoners, were staying in a modern bungalow which had only been built recently. But many people staying in older huts, where the family have stayed previously, were killed.
Mr. Scott texted his daughter Gemma just hours after the disaster to
let her know they were safe. Speaking at the family’s home, she told
the Standard: “The maid saved their lives. They were very, very lucky.
was on my way to work at around 5.30 a.m. on Boxing Day when I had a
text message which said ‘There’s been a bit of a problem but we are
fine’. “They had just been out to get some things for breakfast and my
father heard Jim shouting from outside that they had to get out of
there. He was obviously looking at the sea. “They started to run
towards the reception area but one of the maids shouted at them and
told them to go the other way, and they scrambled on to the roof.
“There were only ten bungalows remaining at the resort. Everything else
was flattened.” The Scotts have visited the resort every other year for
the past 14 years, and were due to fly home on January 14th. They were
due to arrive back in Britain early this morning (Friday). Miss Scott
added: “They went back to their bungalow yesterday, and said the
devastation was amazing, although their things, including their
passports, were still in the hut, soaking wet. “It still keeps coming
back to me, how close they were, I just can’t wait to have them home.”
Gill Eveleigh, Mrs. Stoner’s cousin, and her husband Derek were due to
fly out on Tuesday to join both couples for New Year. She said: “We had
a phone call from Barrie at around 7 a.m. on Boxing Day, saying they
were all safe. “They said they only had what they were standing up in,
and it was only as the day unfolded that we really understood the full
extent of the disaster. “We have been going there for a couple of
years, and we feel so sorry for the people. The poor souls have lost
everything. “But we are glad they are safe and, hopefully, we will
still manage to meet up at New Year as planned.” The group are all
members of the Henley Operatic and Dramatic Society (HAODS). Mr. Scott
is playing the role of Fagin in the company’s production of Oliver in
April, which Mrs. Scott is choreographing. She was also director of the
company’s Singing in the Rain and Crazy For You productions among
others. Pam Pitts and her partner, Rod Simmons, were also due to join
the Scotts, the Stoners and the Eveleighs from Australia on Boxing Day
but decided not to make the journey and flew back to Britain. Mrs.
Pitts said: “We heard about the disaster on Boxing Day evening in
Australia, and we managed to contact them by text message. “At first
our hearts were telling us to go to them, to share our money and our
clothes with them. But our heads were telling us not to be stupid, to
go home. “We decided that the last thing the country needed was two
more tourists and so we came home. “I’m still rather shocked even though we weren’t personally involved. I realise how close we came to losing our friends.”
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