Two strong quakes shake faith of people in Andaman Islands

Fresh quakes re-open tsunami sores

Sanjib Kumar Roy

Port Blair, Apr 11: Two Strong quakes of 8.7 and 8.2 magnitude in Richter Scale, once again shook the faith of people living in remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands this afternoon.

The 8.7 and 8.2-magnitude earthquakes, epicentered at Banda Aceh, Indonesia triggered panic in Andaman and Nicobar Islands this afternoon.

Panic struck residents of Nicobar District came out their home and were waiting in open for hours, out of fear, while people in Port Blair mostly remained glued to television sets to know more about all possible updates on tsunami threats.

Thousands of people were evacuated from the low lying areas of South Andaman region and Nicobar District by local Administration. Students from Boy’s and Girls’ hostel at Port Blair were also evacuated from their hostel and taken to higher ground.

“We have evacuated people from low lying areas of Campbell Island and alerted them about possibilities of high waves,” SBS Tyagi, the Superintendent of Police of South Andaman told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.

 

Although the local Administration maintained that there was no panic and evacuated people moved to higher ground “in an orderly manner”.

“No, there was panic among Islanders,” Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Mr. Shakti Sinha told a news channel over phone this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Administration and Defence Forces were kept on high alert to deal with any eventualities.

“According to INCOIS report waves of 1.5 mtr at Port Blair, 2.8 mtrs and Katchal, Kamorta Islands, 3.9 mtr at Campbell Bay Islands is expected, as per the fax received at 1702 hours,” Mr. Prabhakar Rao the incharge of Disaster Control Room at Port Blair told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.

In 2004 a mega earthquake, which was followed by deadly tsunami, had changed lives of thousands of people in these remote Islands and killed nearly 3800 people. Today’s earthquakes have again left people worried.

“Today’s both quakes have reopened all tsunami sores, which were on the verge of healing. Are these Islands safe anymore?” Bimal Roy, a local politician, who had suffered heavy financial loss, in 2004 told ‘Andaman Sheekha’ today.