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Home , Coastline of Tamil Nadu, Thondi, Velankanni

: Impact & Damage

TSUNAMI IN THE INDIAN Some boats were out in the sea. Suddenly like a bolt out of the blue the n 26 December 2004, an earth rumbled and swallowed all it Oearthquake of magnitude could in a matter of minutes. 9.3 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre off the of , The disaster continued in the triggered the tsunami in the Indian form of giant waves that swept across Ocean at 6.29 a.m. IST. The seismic eleven nations, including the southern fault ran north to south beneath the parts of , washing away thousands ocean floor, while the tsunami waves of lives and livelihood ruthlessly. shot out west to east. Within minutes While many people are believed to of the earthquake, the first tsunami have died in the earthquake itself, most struck the Indonesian island of fatalities resulted from drowning Simeule, located approximately 40 km caused by the seawater that gushed from the epicentre. The earthquake into the coastal areas. Everywhere, was felt widely along the of people along the coast were taken by India. surprise. Among the worst hit was , where the damage included a A typical scene on the islands of train being swept off the rails by the Sumatra on a quiet Sunday morning wave. just the day after Christmas: some early birds strolled on the beach while The earthquake, the tsunami and children played cricket and football on the events that followed will be long the beach sands. Fisherfolk all along remembered as one among the worst the coast went about their daily human tragedies in history. business of repairing boats and nets, Reportedly over 2,85,000 people were salting and drying fish, and cooking. killed or missing. Loss and devastation

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new layout file.p65 13 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM caused by this disaster brought children were orphaned. Across the incalculable suffering to millions of entire Indian coast affected by people around the . tsunami, an estimated 1,089 villages were affected, 1,57,393 houses were TSUNAMI IN INDIA destroyed and approximately 7,30,000 individuals were forced to he phenomenon of tsunami leave their homes. 83,788 boats were Tthat usually occurs near damaged or destroyed, 31,755 seismically active spots in the Pacific livestock were lost and 39,035 Ocean was unheard of in India till it hit hectares of ripe agricultural land was the east and west coast in December damaged. (Source for all figures: 2004. This increased the shock and Government of India, Ministry of horror caused by the event. The waves Home Affairs Report, 25 May 2005). that struck mainland India were 3-10 The total estimated value of damages: m in height and penetrated between US $2.56 billion (Approx. Rs.11300 300 metres to 3000 metres inland crore) and total estimated need for causing severe damage to lives and long-term recovery US $2.1 billion property in the coastal areas of Andhra (Approx. Rs.9240 crore). Pradesh, , , After the Andaman and Nicobar Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar islands, the state of Tamil Nadu was the islands, devastating and crippling the worst affected. Tamil Nadu has a coastal economy as never before. coastline of 1,076 km (12% of the total The death toll in India was coastal length of the country) of which 12,405; the number of people missing, 60 km is on the west coast 5,640. Those displaced totalled (Kanniyakumari district). The 6,47,599. 75 per cent of the fatalities devastating waves that lashed several were women and children; while 787 coastal districts of the state (, women became widows and 480 Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, , , Tiruvarur, , DISTRICT-WISE COASTLINE OF TAMIL NADU , , SNo District Coramandel Palk-Bay West Coast Total km , Kanniyakumari, Pudukottai and Villupuram) left at 1 Chennai 19.00 19.00 least 7995 dead and rendered thousands of people homeless. More 2 Tiruvallur 27.90 27.90 than 10 lakh people were directly or 3 Kancheepuram 87.20 87.20 indirectly affected by the tsunami in Tamil Nadu. The majority of those 4 Villupuram 40.70 40.70 affected had fisheries and farm-based 5 Cuddalore 57.50 57.50 livelihoods or were employed in associated enterprises. While fisheries 6 Nagapattinam 124.90 63.00 187.90 were the worst hit, crops and livestock 47.20 also suffered substantial losses. 7 Tiruvarur 47.20 45.10 8 Thanjavur 45.10 IMPACT AND DAMAGE IN 42.80 9 42.80 TAMIL NADU

10 Ramanathpuram 95.80 141.00 236.80

11 Thoothukudi 163.50 163.50

12 Tirunelveli 48.90 48.90 hen the tsunami struck, the Wbeautiful beaches, holy 13 Kanniyakumari 11.50 60.00 71.50 , historical and tourism spots Total 357.20 293.90 364.90 60.00 1076.00 spread all along the coast were

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new layout file.p65 14 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM LIVES LOST AND IMPAIRED No. of No of Population of the Population Women Population Human lives Persons Orphaned S.No District villages kuppams district as per affected widowed Evacuated Lost injured children affected affected 2001 census by tsunami 35 1 Chennai 4 25 4343645 73000 30000 206 9 - 78 2 Cuddalore 8 43 2285395 99704 61054 610 259 12 17 3 Kancheepuram 30 44 2877458 100000 60000 130 24 9 106 4 Kanniyakumari 16 33 1676034 187650 46280 799 754 3 294 5 Nagapattinam 38 73 1488839 196184 196184 6065 2375 179 - 6 Pudukottai 25 29 1459601 66350 4857 15 - - 4 7 Ramanathapuram 40 114 1187604 84000 8315 20 2 - - 8 Thanjavur 22 - 2216138 29278 4600 37 482 2

9 Tiruvallur 6 38 2754756 15600 - 29 - - 6

10 Tiruvarur - - - - - 29 3 3 14

11 Tirunelveli 10 - 2723988 27948 11170 4 6 1 1

12 Thoothukudi 23 - 1572273 110610 11625 3 - - 1

13 Villupuram 8 19 2960373 78240 37500 48 46 - 5 Total 230 418 28715578 1068564 471585 7995 3960 197 561

devastated and reduced to mere debris. 945 people went missing, 3960 people Huts and pucca houses were flattened, were injured and 4.7 lakh people were fishing boats smashed, and buses, cars evacuated from their homes. People and big tankers were strewn around. lost their belongings and property. An extremely high death toll occurred Around 7995 persons, a majority of within a span of a few minutes. The whom were women and small fisherfolk living along the coast bore children—lost their lives. 197 children the brunt of the giant waves. Many lost were rendered orphans and 561 their lives and most their livelihood. women were widowed. The shock of the tragedy left many Nagapattinam, , traumatized. Amidst the tragedy, Cuddalore, Kanchipuram, Villupuram examples of tremendous resilience and and Chennai districts were the most success also emerged. severely affected. The other districts The complex interaction were moderately affected. between water-borne energy, seabed Nagapattinam was the worst hit, and terrestrial terrain meant that the accounting for about 76% of the deaths effects of the tsunami were different in the State, besides heavy loss of from place to place in the east coast cattle, houses and property. When the and the west coast of Tamil Nadu. The monstrous waves lashed against the monster waves redefined the coastline. coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, there As many as 230 villages and 418 was no alert mechanism, which would kuppams (hamlets), spread across 13 have provided enough time for coastal districts were flattened emergency evacuation. The worst hit completely. Many productive assets of victims were from the defenceless fishermen, agriculturists and other poorer sections living in low-lying micro-enterprise owners living along areas, many of whom were simply the coasts were all either swept away sucked into the sea. Many of the dead or made non-functional. About 1.18 were the old, the infirm, women and lakh huts and houses were affected, children who were caught completely 15

new layout file.p65 15 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM unawares as giant waves quickly huge economic loss. 16,082 cattle were engulfed several settlements. Entire lost in the state, with Nagapattinam families were wiped out in one sweep. recording the highest loss of 12,821. Women were most unprepared to Fishing and its related activities save themselves and their children. are of economic importance along the Busy with household chores and caring Tamil Nadu coast. Apart from actual for the children, they lost precious fishing, fisheries-related activities such moments initially. They also had to as fish marketing, fish transport, pick up their children and run. In many loading, unloading and other labour instances, women died because their associated with fish handling, fish hair got caught in thorny trees processing (drying and curing), boat- (karuvelam tree) found along the making and repair, net making and coast. There were cases where women repair, repair of engines, etc. are would not free themselves from important sources of employment and entangled saris because they did not livelihood. In the past two decades, want to be seen naked and as a result there has also been an increase in they died. Some people got trapped in aquaculture along the coast, the beach sands and in broken particularly of shrimp. structures. Apart from death and the Large numbers of livestock - destruction of houses, fishing cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and implements, thousands of boats and poultry – were also killed, resulting in catamarans were damaged or LOST AND DAMAGED PROPERTY

Agricultural Horticultural District Cattle Houses Land Land Boats (Ha) ( Ha)

Partially Fully Mechanised Fishing Total Catamarans Vallams Damaged Damaged Boats Nets

Wooden FRP 2992 Chennai 2 - 16839 16839 - - 1493 169 - 568 4935 Cuddalore 949 544 2328 2872 1925.48 196.51 5530 862 - 505 2873 Kancheepuram 4 898 3702 4600 248.48 - 1994 784 19 8 7236 Kanniyakumari 1187 3953 3379 7332 12.57 9.7 6582 - 694 385 7604 Nagapattinam 12821 2169 17461 19630 4657.47 456.98 6144 - 1761 869 2342 Pudukottai ------191 - 473 30 180 Ramanathapuram ------0 - 290 - 522 Thanjavur - - 3 3 - - 47 - 232 - 2888 Tiruvallur 220 - - - - - 516 570 - - 19 Tiruvarur - - 716 716 - - - - 19 - 1160 Tirunelveli 899 - - - - - 1285 - 82 - 2203 Thoothukudi - - 630 630 - - 644 - 600 - 3223 Villupuram - 106 834 940 1616.34 6.63 1691 1017 - 26 38177 16082 7670 45892 53562 8460.34 669.82 26117 3402 4170 2391 16

new layout file.p65 16 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM destroyed. 15,522 catamarans, 357 VALUE OF DAMAGES vallams, 513 FRP (fibre reinforced plastic) catamarans and 383 Rs (in Crore) mechanized boats were fully damaged. Damage caused to mechanized boats, country 1054.06 10,595 Catamarans, 3813 vallams, boats,catamarans, nets, engines fishing harbours, etc 2889 FRP boats and 2008 mechanized Damage caused by sea erosion and inundation of 449.00 boats were partially damaged. This apart, there was extensive damage to Damage caused to Panchayat and Panchayat Unionroads, the fishing harbours, fish landing water supply and street light arrangements,Panchayat 255.61 centres, auction centres, trading offices, noon meal centres, panchayatschool buildings, etc centres and installations all over the coast. Damage to ice plants, marine 380.64 Damage caused to highways, roads and bridges repair shops and other trades was also reported. Damage caused to minor ports at 74.70 Cuddalore,Nagapattinam and Colachal Other sources of livelihood along the coast include agriculture, Damage caused to government buildings maintained 8.50 marketing of agriculture produce, byP.W.D. supplying inputs for agriculture, Damage caused to Tamil Nadu Electricity 16.93 animal husbandry and livestock Boardinstallations rearing, production of salt from salt Damage caused to water supply systems like 25.00 pans, petty trade, money lending, infiltrationwells, open wells, bore wells etc. maintained by TWAD basket making and masonry. 8460.34 hectares of agricultural land and Damage caused to beach resorts and hotels maintained 4.48 669.82 hectares of horticultural land byTamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation was affected. Damage also resulted 76.80 Damage to crops from salinisation of ground water. Damage caused to ferry services run by Poompuhar 1.04 Out of 414 totally damaged public Shipping Corporation at Kanniyakumari buildings, 91 were school buildings, 71 related to health services, 7 were Damage caused to godowns run by Tamil Nadu 0.27 Warehousing Corporation public office buildings, 114 were 1.50 cyclone shelters and 131 under the Damage caused to Salt Corporation Animal Husbandry Department. Roads 1.41 accessing affected villages and towns Damage caused to Anganwadi Centres were badly damaged. Damage caused to protected monuments of Tamil 1.00 The sheer magnitude of the NaduArchaeological Department impact initially destroyed much of the Damage caused to food grains stored in the godowns 2.44 communication and transport ofTamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation at Port infrastructure in the affected coastal godown,Nagapattinam areas. Lack of electricity, poor drainage and lack of drinking water ration shops, balwadis, water supply plagued the already distressed people. lines, school buildings, bridges, Open wells, infiltration wells and bore highways and stadium light posts were wells were blocked by silt. Pump rooms either partially or fully destroyed. Two either got washed away or were Government Hospitals and several damaged. Pipe connections broke and Primary Health Centres and Health Sub- electrical installations were damaged. Centres were badly decimated. Sanitary complexes, libraries, village gymnasiums, bus shelters, metal Although the unprecedented roads, cement roads, black topped scale of human death, homelessness, roads, electrical posts, community displaced population and damage was temples, halls and stages, post offices, more confined to rural areas rather

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new layout file.p65 17 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM than key economic and densely NAGAPATTINAM populated urban centres and industrial he entire coastline of 187.9 hubs, the economic impact was felt T km (including Palk Bay) was severely at the local and community affected. Maximum loss of life was levels, dragging hundreds of thousands reported in Nagapattinam district of already poor people into even deeper alone. 6065 human lives were lost, levels of penury. which is around 76% of the total reported death figure in the State. Also, By noon, all that remained of the the highest figures of 179 orphans coast were human bodies strewn across and 294 widows were reported the roads, torn fishing nets, mangled in this district. Keechankuppam, remains of catamarans, fibreglass boats Akkaraipettai, Seruthur, with outboard motors, cracked country , Pattinacherry, , boats and pushcarts, mounds of debris Tharangambadi, Poompuhar, and knee-deep cesspools. Those who Tirumallaivasal and Pazhayar were some of the worst affected areas. The managed to survive had become approach roads to the fishing hamlets refugees in their own land, searching of Keechankuppam and Akkaraipettai for their kith and kin and belongings. were totally blocked due to fallen trees and electricity posts. Besides, vehicles The eastern coast of India has and fishing boats that had been tossed often been threatened by calamities like by the huge waves blocked the roads cyclone, storm and flood, but the and bridges. Agriculture had suffered tsunami was something that defied heavy losses in Nagapattinam. Most of every bit of preparedness, by the the affected land was cultivated with government and by the people. paddy, a very labour intensive crop,

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new layout file.p65 18 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM that employs an average of 10-15 church on account of Christmas (the persons per hectare during the period previous day), and had been on the of cultivation for land preparation, shore just after the Sunday mass, were planting, harvesting, etc. swallowed by the killer waves. The water distribution system was damaged In South Poigainallur village, the and water supplywas also affected. The force of tsunami waves broke through damages due to tsunami had a the drain provided for agricultural cascading effect on the coastal water, and destroyed part of the economy and religious tourism in manmade sand dune. While the death places like Velankanni and Nagore. toll in Akkaraipettai and Velankanni was in thousands, the loss of life in The salt industry in South Poigainallur was very limited. was particularly affected. The copious This is because the villagers have inflow of seawater into an estimated relied on their ancestral knowledge of 20,000 hectares of agricultural land in maintaining mangroves to protect their areas adjacent to the coastal region agricultural land from seawater caused heavy losses to agriculturists, infiltration for over 500 years. who had already suffered a difficult The tsunami inundated the fields time during the past four years owing with seawater and sand. Once the to drought followed by heavy floods. seawater entered the agricultural Paddy crops that were ripe for harvest lands, it stagnated because the perished. unaffected parts of the dunes held the The beaches in and around water from receding. The farmers rely Nagapattinam town, and the district on the land for their livelihood. Sale of headquarters, were inundated. In the vegetables was a very lucrative harbour, boats were flung around pell- business prior to the tsunami. Post- mell. Nagapattinam General Hospital tsunami, revenue dwindled was flooded, most of its equipment considerably to about 2 lakh rupees badly damaged and the receding water from about 8-10 lakh rupees. left behind sand and slush several feet A sizeable number of tourists and deep in the ground floor rooms. devotees who had been to Velankanni Tharangambadi sub-district hospital,

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new layout file.p65 19 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM in Nagapattinam district, was also KANNIYAKUMARI flooded and badly damaged. Some of the worst affected PHCs, such as those anniyakumari district is on in Velankanni and Poompuhar, also lie K the tip of theIndian sub- in Nagapattinam district. continent and was not fortunate to have the protective cover of Sri Lanka when The fisheries sector suffered very the tsunami struck on that fateful day. severe damages never before witnessed Even earlier, this district had very in the district. 7604 units of nets, 6144 thickly populated coastal habitations wooden catamarans, 1761 vallams and and Kanniyakumari fishermen were 869 mechanised boats were damaged known for their skills and die-hard apart from extensive damages to fishing attitude. They fished deeper, farther infrastructure such as fishing harbours, and longer than the other fishermen fish landing centres and Nagapattinam from other parts of Tamil Nadu. port. Kanniyakumari suffered the largest There have been several tales of death toll next to Nagapattinam with horror, sorrow, bravery and grief. In 799 people dead. Extensive damage Chinnangudi village, a woman aged 75 was caused to the boats, nets and boat years was running away with her 80- yards. Thousands of big boats were year-old husband. The old man fell tossed leaving the generally better-off down but urged his wife to run away. fishermen devastated. He himself could not get up and died Heavy damage was caused to the where he fell. Unable to accept this West Coast Road from Kanniyakumari reality, the woman spent 24 hours with to Kodimunai and the bridge the dead body of her husband. Among connecting Mela Manakudi and Keela the stories that bring a lot of hope are Manakudi villages was completely those of a six-year-old boy who saved washed away, leaving only the pillars. 12 children and of another woman who Having a higher percentage of saved 12 children. There were also fishermen among the working cases of bitterness between spouses. population, the mood in the district Some wives were sore that their was gloomy and desperate. The life husbands did not save their dying giving sea had become life threatening children. Besides, they were also within a moment. gripped with a feeling of helplessness and guilt for not having done enough to save their children themselves. CUDDALORE

uddalore is a large industrial Ctown. It has a large number of industries that employ much of the city’s population. The district of Cuddalore was heavily damaged by the tsunami waves. 610 people died and many were still missing. Several fishing hamlets simply disappeared. Many villages were cut off from the rest since the roads were either washed away or covered with debris. The famous Silver Beach and the historic Cuddalore Port were devastated.

At several places in , huge waves burst water pipelines disrupting water supply, and in other places the seawater incursion

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new layout file.p65 20 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM made both surface and groundwater human life which was comparitively saline and unpotable. Fishermen, less. About 6 taluks were located along prawn/crab and fish seedling farm the 120 km stretch of South East Coast owners, fish transport owners, ice- of Tamil Nadu. Fishermen are manufacturing units, all suffered loss of the dominant community in these income. Horticulture activities in villages and a majority of the Cuddalore were also affected. The population depended upon fishing for entire village of MGR Thittu was their livelihood. 600 vallams, reduced to a rubble. More than 80 644 catamarans and 409 fibreglass persons died in this village alone. boats, engaged in fishing activities and the shelters in the fishing Nearly 128 boats were lost in this communities were extensively village. “We usually keep all the nets and damaged. fishing accessories on the beach. Boats cost anything between Rs70,00- 80,000, the engine about Rs35, 000- CHENNAI 40,000 and the different kinds of nets he residential areas situated about Rs 1-1.25 lakh. “We have T along the coastline in lost everything. In spite of having a , Mylapore, Triplicane, diploma in Mechanical Engineering I Foreshore estate, Nochikuppam and was fishing for a living, as I was Royapuram Fishing Harbour were unemployed. Now even that is gone. badly affected. Kids playing on the It is hopeless,” rued young world’s second largest beach, the Kumeresan, a totally dejected youth. Marina, along with early morning walkers, were carried away by the killer TOOTHUKUDI waves. Boats, cars and other vehicles parked along the coastline were rudely s many as 23 coastal villages tossed by the waves. Soon Marina Awere affected in Thoothukudi. beach was a vast street of water with The magnitude of havoc caused by the floating cars, boats and debris. 206 tsunami was similar in all respects to persons including a few tourists were the other districts except in loss of killed at Chennai.

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new layout file.p65 21 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM KANCHEEPURAM village were fully damaged and two people lost their lives. Though not n Kancheepuram district, many lives were lost when compared Inearly 44 kuppams in 30 to other districts, quite a number of revenue villages were affected leaving fishing implements were lost depriving a population of nearly one lakh people of their livelihood resources. stranded. The destruction was so severe that several pucca houses were TIRUNELVELI, THANJAVUR, flattened and fishing boats smashed. The saved many TIRUVALLUR, TIRUVARUR, habitations lying to the west but the VILLUPURAM AND PUDUKOTTAI smaller coastal hamlets became deathbeds and 130 persons died in the n , 13 district. Ihamlets were affected and 5626 families were exposed to the high The nuclear atomic power plant tide risk zone, forcing them to consider at Kalpakkam has always been a relocation to safer places. sensitive area. Though seawater entered the power plant, the authorities In , the tsunami promptly dispelled fears of danger. caused extensive damage to 22 seashore villages in and Peravurani taluks. A 9-year-old boy RAMANATHAPURAM who was playing by the seashore near his house died. About 37 people who n , had travelled to Nagapattinam and six huts of fishermen at Thondi I Kanniyakumari districts lost their lives there. Besides, 47 catamarans, 232 vallams and 40,692 kg of fishing nets were damaged.

About 29 people lost their lives in Tiruvallur district. Large amounts of fishing implements suffered damage. More severe was the loss of livelihood of many families sustaining on fishing in places like Pulicat.

29 people lost their lives and 3 people were injured in . 48 people lost their lives and 46 people were injured in Villupuram district. More than 18 habitations were severely affected by tsunami, which has put the fear of death and destruction in the heart of these families.

15 people lost their lives in Pudukottai district. Though not directly affected, many boats lying in fishing harbours could not go out to sea for many months leading to loss of livelihood.

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new layout file.p65 22 12/27/2005, 9:55 AM