While thousands of people lost their lives when gigantic tsunami waves hit the region here on Sunday, a 20-day-old baby girl remarkably survived, thanks to a floating mattress.

When the tsunami hit the popular Miami Beach in Batu Ferringhi in Penang, Malaysia, S Tulasi, was sleeping in a room behind her father's western food outlet along the beach.

"We were all caught off guard when the wave hit us...I was thrown several metres but managed to hold on to one of the posts but my 12-year-old daughter was swept by the wave," said the baby's father, A Suppiah.

Suppiah, 55, said his wife, Annal Mary, 40, braved the strong wave to open the room's door to save their baby.

"I thought I had lost both my daughters...but thank God the mattress was floating in about 1.5 m of water and my baby was crying. My other daughter, Kanchana somehow managed to get to her feet and run to safety," said Suppiah, who injured his right ankle.

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