Phuket on December 26, 2004.

A JCB employee and his wife survived the Asian tsunami in Thailand by clinging to palm trees after the force of the tidal wave catapulted them through their Phuket bungalow window.

JCB parts and service manager Richard Galley, 35, and Kristin Meredith, 32, recounted the horror that began when the door of their holiday home was flung open by the powerful tidal surge which was rising at half a metre a second.

Within seconds the couple was completely under water and Galley swam beneath the surface to try to open a back door.

"Fortunately the force of the water collapsed the wall separating the bedroom and bathroom and a large bathroom window burst out," Galley said.

"We were then both shot outside by the force of the water where we managed to grab palm trees to wait for the current to subside.

"These were the most terrifying moments because I still didn't know where Kristin was and I don't have the words to express how I felt right then or what went through my mind when I saw her grab on to a palm tree a few yards in front of me."

The couple clung to the palm trees for 10 minutes while waiting for the water to subside.

"If it hadn't been for those palm trees, we would have been swept out to sea," Galley said.

The Galleys' troubles did not end there.

When they returned to their hotels, they discovered their suitcases opened and all their money, credit cards and mobile phones stolen.

"Fortunately they left our passports and plane tickets so we felt very lucky, not to mention the fact we were alive and together," Galley said.

They returned to Shanghai, China, where Galley works for JCB, on December 27.

Galley, who has worked for JCB for 13 years, said: "We realise how lucky we are, especially as we continued to watch the events unfold on the news."

JCB has donated USD1 million of machines to assist in the clear-up efforts in the tsunami-hit areas. (Forkliftaction.com News #191).

Raymond Corporation's dealers will be matching Raymond's donations to southern Asia.

The company will donate USD100 for each electric rider truck and USD50 for each electric walkie pallet truck sold in January and February.