Swept to their deaths

MORE THAN 11,500 people were killed in seven countries as tidal waves from a massive undersea earthquake smashed into coastlines across Asia yesterday.

Whole villages were washed away in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, sunbathers were dragged out to sea and snorkellers pulled across jagged reefs at tourist havens in Thailand.

As every hour passes, the death toll from the most powerful earthquake in four decades climbs steadily.