Martial arts superstar Jet Li has spoken of his terror as he ran from the Indian Ocean tidal wave that killed over 150,000 people last month.

The "Hero" actor was holidaying in the Maldives with his family, when the tsunami hit the coastline, reported imdb.com.

At a Hong Kong fundraiser, Li told the audience, "The waves came really quickly and formed swirls. I carried my daughters and pulled my maid and ran. I'd only walked three steps when I realized that the water had already come up to my waist.

"When I looked back, everything I saw minutes ago was gone. Everything was surrounded by the ocean. The houses collapsed. I continued to run but the water was already up to my mouth."

Li and his family managed to find lifejackets in their hotel as they waited for a second round of bigger waves to hit the island.

Li has donated $158,000 to the tsunami relief fund. He regards the tragic event as a defining moment in his life.

"Some things I dared not do in the past, I am ready to do them now," he said.