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20 Years After 2004 Tsunami, Devastation Still Haunts Andaman And Nicobar Islands
- 20 years after the devastating tsunami of Dec. 26, 2004, the residents of Campbell Bay and Car Nicobar in Nicobar district of Andaman and Nicobar Islands still bear the trauma of it. Nearly 400 people died and over 3,000 went missing in the district. The debris of damaged houses, defence quarters, schools, church, and government establishments still remain there. Nicobarese tribes gather every year at 'Death House' to remember their loved ones who passed away.
- The village headman of Tamaloo village at Car Nicobar, Paul Benjamin, recalled that the sea receded nearly 3 km followed by high-impact tremors. The entire island was shaking. There was no warning system and minutes later a monstrous wall of sea waves rushed towards them. Out of 387 deaths in Nicobar district alone, 269 happened at Car Nicobar. Katchal Island saw the maximum number of people missing - 1635.
- Even though the scale of relief operations was noteworthy, and compensation has been provided to the affected, the trauma still looms over the islanders. The administration is now better prepared to handle such situations in the future with advanced technology.
- The South Andaman district provided shelter to 823 affected families and compensation to 1203 affected people who lost their land. Little Andaman provided shelter to 1973 affected families and 13 people went missing (presumed dead) from there.
- Meghana Rajshekhar, daughter of an IAF officer, lost her parents and brother in the tsunami. She drifted in the sea on a wooden plank before being rescued after two days.
- Speaking to PTI, Prahlad Singh, Gram panchayat Pradhan of Laxmi Nagar, Campbell Bay, said that he lost some of his close friends in the tsunami which continues to haunt them till today.
- At Teressa Island, 54 people died and 6 went missing. At Chowra, 41 died and 17 missing. There were 20 deaths and 520 missing people at Campbell Bay.
- In Kamorta and Trinket Islands, 295 and 75 people are still missing. One person each died from these two islands.
- The ill-fated event has left a deep impact on the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, who continue to pray for the lost ones 20 years after the deadliest natural calamity that India has witnessed to date.
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