Kata Noi Beach

Kata Noi is a beach on the southwestern side of the island of Phuket in Thailand. It prolongs the Kata Beach to the south.

The beach is bordered to the north by the Mon Tri's Boathouse resort, and most of the beachfront is occupied by the resort of Kata Thani.

2004 earthquake and tsunami

On December 26th 2004, the beach was hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, at around 09:30 AM.

First tsunami

As about 20 people were playing on the beach or bathing, the sea started to retreat by about 100 meters within the space of about 3 minutes. People were playing with the fish trapped in small ponds in the sands, when the sea started to rise again, inducing everyone to run to the higher part of the beach. The water continued to rise swiftly, drowning the totality of the beach, until it stopped almost eactly at the top of the one meter cement wall lining the beach. People, who were in the sea up to the waist, were able to climb over the small wall into the safety of the gardens of the Kata Thani resort.

The sea stayed at its high level for about 5 minutes, until it started to retreat again, dragging parasols, beach chairs etc... with the receding water.

Retreat-and-rise cycle

The retreat-and-rise cycle was repeated several times that day, the third wave being the largest. It overran the small wall lining the beach, flowed into the gardens of the Kata Thani hotel and almost instantly smashed into and destroyed the front rooms of the hotel, also inundating the central restaurant. The area at the southern end of the beach was most badly hit, and the beach restaurant was swept out to sea.

Casualties

There were some injuries, but no fatalities at Kata Noi on the occasion of the tsunami. The waters receded and rose rather swiftly, but, owing to the steepness of the beach, remained contained and did not generate rushing breaking waves as on flater beaches such as Patong Beach or Khao Lak.

See also

• Phuket Province
• 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
• Tsunami

The first tsunami stopped exactly at the top of the beach wall.	Receding waters after the second tsunami.	The waters at their lowest, before the next tsunami.	The third tsunami wave retreating after invading the Kata Thani.
Smashed first-floor rooms, following the third tsunami wave.	Smashed first-floor rooms.	More large waves followed throughout the day.	Destroyed beach access.