Girl,10,usedgeographylessontosavelives

　　(Filed:01/01/2005)

　　A10-year-oldgirlsavedherfamilyand100othertouristsfromtheAsiantsunamibecauseshehadlearntaboutthegiantwavesinageographylesson,ithasemerged.

　　AwomansearchesapileofrubblenearPatongbeachinPhuket

　　TillySmith,fromOxshott,Surrey,washolidayingwithherparentsandseven-year-oldsisteronMaikhaobeachinPhuket,Thailand,whenthetiderushedout.

　　Astheothertouristswatchedinamazement,thewaterbegantobubbleandtheboatsonthehorizonstartedtoviolentlybobupanddown.

　　Tilly,whohadstudiedtsunamisinageographyclasstwoweeksearlier,quicklyrealisedtheywereindanger.

　　Shetoldhermothertheyhadtogetoffthebeachimmediatelyandwarnedthatitcouldbeatsunami.

　　Sheexplainedshehadjustcompletedaschoolprojectonthehugewavesandsaidtheywereseeingthewarningsignsthatatsunamiwasminutesaway.

　　Herparentsalertedtheotherholidaymakersandstaffattheirhotel,whichwasquicklyevacuated.Thewavecrashedafewminuteslater,butnooneonthebeachwaskilledorseriouslyinjured.

　　InaninterviewwiththeSun,Tillygavethecredittohergeographyteacher,AndrewKearney,atOxshott'sDanesHillPrepSchool.

　　Shesaid"LasttermMrKearneytaughtusaboutearthquakesandhowtheycancausetsunamis.

　　"Iwasonthebeachandthewaterstartedtogofunny.Therewerebubblesandthetidewentoutallofasudden.

　　"Irecognisedwhatwashappeningandhadafeelingtherewasgoingtobeatsunami.Itoldmummy."