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Heroine of the death waves
A MUM today told how her daughter saved a 10-year-old girl's life as a devastating wave of death flattened their paradise Indonesian village.
Jo-Anne Wau grabbed local girl Malarti by the hair as she was being sucked into a drain when the near three metre high wave crashed into the Sorake Beach in Nias, an island off the eastern coast of Sumatra.
The pair, with husband Robin, then made for high ground as the raging torrent dragged beach huts, furniture and livestock out to sea.
Moments later, Malarti's mother was saved from the roof of her house by a man on a surfboard.
Today, after 27-year-old Jo-Anne phoned home, her mum, Annette Windle, a district nurse, described how her daughter was woken by the earthquake, then later "ran for her life" as the tsunami struck.
Annette, 50, of Dronfield Woodhouse, said: "She saw the water coming at fast walking speed.
"She said it just kept coming, it was relentless. She knew it wasn't going to stop. She grabbed the local children but one of them got caught in a drain. She was screaming and the water was waist high and Jo-Anne grabbed her hair and held her until some men came."
The sea surges, triggered by a huge earthquake six miles under the Indian Ocean, are believed to have killed more than 60,000 people.
The waves pounded Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives and Bangladesh.
Jo-Anne, a Sheffield United fan, was awoken by the earthquake and the noticed the sea in front of their house had "disappeared".
She said local fisherman ran on to the beach to collect hundreds of fish left stranded by the rapid drop in tide.
Annette said: "She phoned home and said the sea had disappeared.
"I looked on the internet to see what could have caused it and told her it was probably better to get to high ground.
Annette told how dozens of 'Losemans' - wooden bungalows built on stilts in the sea - were destroyed. Many villagers have been left with nothing.
Jo-Anne travelled to Sorake Beach after seeing a poster of the resort while travelling in Bali. She married local man Robin, 22, in October and earns a living by renting out a Loseman. Her property survived.
Annette said: "It's an absolute paradise. It's the most beautiful place on Earth.
"I know the community will pull together but most of the village has been destroyed."
Jo-Anne, who phoned home again shortly after the wave struck, is now believed to be caring for the children, while the adults attempt to clear the debris.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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