This Website was started after the Tsunami, to let people know how it had effected the Maldives and in particular Lohifushi, since then it has become a website mainly dedicated to the staff on Lohifushi and as there have been many changes on the island, it has followed Lohifushi and the staff through the last 12 months. The island is now called Hudhuran Fushi and we hope that there is good information contained within this site that will help people decide on where to go for a holiday.

Our Account of the Tsunami

It was a beautiful morning on Lohifushi, we woke late from the Christmas celebrations the previous two nights, and had to hurry down for breakfast, (always thought that 9.30 was too early for breakfast to finish) so we hurried from our bungalow no: 220 and headed for reception, the time was 9.10am when we shut our front door at 9.15am we walked into reception and all the lights went out.  A power cut we thought, so we carried on to the restaurant and sat down to breakfast. 

Half way through our scrambled egg and beans we noticed water slowly creeping around the outside of  the dining room, some one said there had been a big wave, we thought it must have come over the end of the island.  So we hurried the rest of our food and left the dining room before the water had completely surrounded us, I didn't want to walk through water in my best flip flops.  A few feet from the restaurant and we were on dry land, but not for long, as we turned the corner to head towards the east side of the island, we saw the horror that awaited us, everywhere was covered in water, all across the football field the tennis courts and everywhere.

We ran to our bungalow, keeping close to the beach as this seemed to be shallower water.

We were  worried about what we might find and anxious for Tracey and Tony, who had been sunbathing on the beach when we left for breakfast, and as we neared no: 220 the realisation of what had happened took hold of us, but, there was Tracey and Tony, they had managed to get off the beach before the wave hit, (thank god Tracey had asked Tony to move her sun bed up the beach a little as the water seemed to be coming higher) when he got up he realised he could not see the island on the other side of the lagoon, something was wrong, he shouted to Tracey and told her to move.  They found two very beautiful trees and clung to them whilst the wave hit. I think Tracey kissed her tree and told it she loved it after the water had receded!

On looking at the beach we saw the Dhoni, it hadn’t been there before but it was there now.  Beached and well buried in the sand.

Our bungalow was a bit of a mess, doors were smashed in, windows were broken and where was the furniture from the terrace?  It was nowhere to be seen, inside 220 the furniture was destroyed, beds were not as we had left them, wardrobe doors had been ripped from their hinges and thrown on the floor, the pretty basket weave table and chairs were missing, but remarkably the circular glass insert was there on the floor, intact.  We then noticed, our clothes, suite cases and everything we had taken with us (apart from a few items of clothing of Mike's that were hung up in the wardrobe-after 18 years of trying to get him to hang up his clothes he had finally done so !) were scattered around lying in water and sand. 

We started to collect items, having found the suitcases in the outside shower, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the Carlton case had not let in any water, (this is where we had kept our passports) so all the dry clothes (the ones hanging in the wardrobe) went in there and all the wet clothes went into the other.  Make up, sun tan lotion, hairbrush, etc.; all was pushed hurriedly into the hand luggage bags, which were wet through.  Our room boy Bakay came up to us, apologising that he had not had any time to get to our room and save our possessions, it was such a genuine statement, but obviously we knew that no one would have had time to save anything.

Then the cry came that there was a second wave coming.  ' Into the bathroom' I shouted and shut the door, it was only a small wave but it was still a little scary, we both looked at the dressing table chair in the outside shower, upright and standing next to the wall, this could be our escape if the water was to come into the bathroom, but it didn’t, we opened the door to see the water receding and we returned to the task of collecting our belongings.  Digital camera, mobile phones, hairdryer, straighteners and battery chargers all were swimming around in the water.  We picked them up, don’t know why they wouldn’t work but they went into the hand luggage with all the other wet stuff.

We had a third wave then, but this one we could watch from the front terrace, it was no threat.

Having collected all our possessions, both wet and dry, we carried most of them up to reception, (not the wet suit case though, it was too heavy and because the island was covered in water we couldn’t wheel it, so we left it in the bathroom). The bathroom seemed to be the safest place just in case there was another wave.

All the guests gathered in the Hiyala bar,  trying to contact family and friends on whose ever mobile was working, it took ages to get out but eventually most people succeeded in contacting home.  Time now was approx. 10.30/11.00 and we hoped the worst was over.

This was our part of the Tsunami; everything from now on concerns the Staff and Management of Lohifushi.

We were sat at a table drinking a cold beer and feeling a little shell-shocked, trying to think of anything that we hadn’t found in the bungalow, one of my fins was missing and a beach towel had gone.  Mikes shoes and flip-flops hadn’t been found, oh and my favourite little green mini skirt. (I had worn it on Christmas Eve and not hung it up!!)

Suddenly the staff were everywhere, they had been around the east side of the island collecting items of clothing and bringing it all back to reception, even though the water was everywhere and in the water were fish including Lion fish.  They brought item after item, and then, there it was, my fin.  Next came my beach towel, our room boy, Bakay, had found it in a tree, recognised it and brought it to us.  And then Ansar, one of the waiters, came with our other suitcase, it was so heavy, (the one that was too heavy for us to carry) but he had carried it all the way round to where we were.  They dropped their finds and off they went again. - But no sign of my little green mini skirt.

Then came the ice creams, as there was no electricity they gave out the contents of the ice cream fridges, it was most welcome on a scorching hot day. The children loved it, they were by now feeling no after effects and playing happily in the swimming pool. Lunchtime came and we were told there was food for us.  We don’t know how they managed under the circumstances but lunch was good.

The afternoon passed by, more found items were brought by the staff and the management started sorting out accommodations for people who had been on the east side of the island.

Of course there were a few people who were already saying they wanted to leave the island as soon as possible, but at this time we were not 100% sure of just what had happened, it was rumoured there had been an earthquake but we did not know just how bad it actually had been.

The water was soon on to the bathroom showers and wash bowls, this meant we could wash out our clothes and hang them up to dry, but the sanitation was not on,  but the staff provided plenty of water in barrels with a bucket for the toilets.

It didn't take long, with hard work and determination by mid afternoon the sanitation water was back on, so the only thing we were missing now was electricity.

Drinking water was given out freely by the bottle, there was never any shortage of this and come dinnertime once again the restaurant staff excelled themselves by putting on a superb spread for us.

Rooms for the night were given to those who wanted them, but some people preferred to stay in the Hiyala bar, (it was the highest point on the island) for these people mattresses and covers were provided and the staff kept up an all night patrol of the island, just in case another wave was to come.

Candles were handed out to all guests, (quite romantic under normal circumstances) to have candles in the bungalows.  We were helped by a nearly full moon making the normally black night a lot lighter.

Next morning work had already started on clearing up the island, pumps were getting rid of the water, (there was no sewage in the water, although there was a bit of rubbish, as bins had been swept over by the wave) there was a chattering sound all over the island as staff were raking up all the small debris, clearing areas on both sides of the island. 

The west side of the island had been flooded, (the water from the harbour had receded leaving a nearly dry seabed and then it had come back in) some bungalows were affected, but room boys, waiters, chefs, reception staff and management were all rolling up their sleeves and mucking in to tidy up.  They were working near enough 24 hour shifts, to clear the island. 

A meeting was held on the Monday and the staff voted to stay on the island and keep it open for the guests, even though this meant long hours of hard work, and even though a lot of them had family on other atolls, which had been hit harder than Lohifushi, they were all concerned about their families and friends.  So they stayed and they worked very hard.  Within a day we could see the difference, and with the rain falling as it did, it helped to cleanse the island and hopefully saved a lot of the flora and fauna from dying from seawater.

The staff managed to get a television working in the lounge and we all watched the horrific news unfold about the underwater earthquake and the plight of the other countries.  The situation in Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries made us realise just how lucky we had been.  The devastation to Lohifushi was small next to these other holiday resorts and inhabited areas.

The food was still great, electricity had been restored to the reception and restaurant area and they were working on getting it to the rest of the island, but at nighttime there were still problems.  The generators took the brunt of the wave and new parts had to be brought in from Male, but we knew everything that could be done was being done.  As the full moon had gone from the Maldivian night sky, we were escorted to our bungalow by Adil, head waiter of the Sunset bar, holding a storm lantern to light our way. More candles had been handed out and luckily due to the rain the temperature was not so hot as to keep us awake.

By Tuesday morning, the west side of the island was looking great, the beaches were a bit short of sand, tree roots were showing and some coral had been washed up on the beaches but everything else was just as it was before the Tsunami.  All we needed was electricity and at 6.15 pm we had it, all the bungalows were lit up like Christmas trees.   It took a little longer for the pathway lights to come on but what the heck, we had electricity.

Our room boy Bakay told us he had to go home, his house had been damaged and his wife wanted him there, you could see in his eyes that he was torn between staying to help or go to his wife's side. A 6.5 hour boat journey was in front of him but his family needed him.

By Wednesday the 240 guests that had been on the island when the tsunami struck were reduced to 43.  Some guests were due to go home and others just wanted to get off the island (we don’t know why, we were being looked after like kings and queens) also the holiday companies had been moving people on Monday and Tuesday because the island had no electricity, even though some did not want to go.  Shame they didn't let them stay, some left 2 hours before the electricity was reconnected. The staff and management of Lohifushi were devastated at what had happened to their island, they were so sorry that it ruined our holiday (even though it was not their fault) and when they saw the guests leaving they were very unhappy.  We stayed and so did a few others, The Lacon family, Des, Julie, DJ & Scott (who were on their 5^th. Visit to Lohifushi) the Canadian family, Tod, Tammy and their two daughters, who had only arrived the day before the tsunami, a German couple who were on their 14^th. visit to the island and others, all determined to stay and finish our holiday on a paradise island, with staff who genuinely cared for their guests.

New Years Eve came, the management invited some of the Maldivian people from Male to join us on Lohifushi to see in the New Year. Staff worked tirelessly all day to prepare the area for a party, (maybe not quite the celebration we had been expecting due to the tragedy) but they made it very special for us. We had a minute silence for all the people involved in the tsunami. Dinner was an excellent buffet, beautifully presented and served by the hardworking staff. Although there was only 43 of us on the island two collections were made, one from the German guests and one from the British and other nationalities, this money was given to the staff and they made a decision to place this in a fund to help with the rebuilding of so many of their friends and families homes which had been devastated by the wave.

It had been our second visit to Lohifushi, we shall be going back this year (maybe twice if work and purse allow). In our opinion the tragedy of the tsunami could have ruined our much awaited holiday, had it not been for the staff and management at Lohifushi. They were brilliant in everything they did and we have created this website to help people make up their minds as to whether or not to go to either Lohifushi or any of the other Maldivian islands for their holidays this year. The Maldives relies on tourism for a large percentage of their income, the Tsunami was a natural disaster that no one could have predicted, and the odds of it happening again are rather low, as long as the island of your choice is still operating, go and give the Maldivian people a chance to show their hospitality. We are sure you won't regret it. There may be parts of the islands that are still damaged but overall the Maldives are paradise on earth, as long as there is a part of the island that is back to normality or left untouched by the Tsunami then you will have the holiday of your dreams.

Lynne and Mike