On December 26, 2004, carpenter Ari Afrizal was helping build a house on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Suddenly, he heard a loud whooshing sound and saw a wall of water heading directly toward him. The huge wave was a tsunami that destroyed the house he was working on and swept him out to sea. Alone in the ocean, Ari struggled to survive. Against all odds, would he live through this horrible ordeal? Eyewitness accounts and incredible photos bring to life the experiences of ordinary people who faced catastrophic danger -and lived to tell their stories. Kids will discover the causes and characteristics of tsunamis, and learn about scientific advances in warning systems. Safety tips show young readers what to do in case a tsunami occurs.