The Hindu : National : A tragic end for many Velankanni pilgrims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

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National

A tragic end for many Velankanni pilgrims

By S. Ganesan

VELANKANNI, DEC. 27. The famous pilgrimage centre of Velankanni in the coastal belt of Nagapattinam district has witnessed the worst calamity in its history due to the havoc caused by the tsunami.

It proved to be black Sunday for hundreds of pilgrims who had gathered here to celebrate Christmas here as a single massive tidal wave snuffed out several lives in a flicker. Twenty-four hours after the tragedy, the authorities are yet to think in terms of relief and are still largely concentrating on extrication, retrieval and disposal of corpses. A deceptive calm hung over the village this morning, while a few prayed silently at the Shrine of Basilica.

The exact number of dead may not be known at all as hundreds of people from various parts of the country have been washed away. Scores of fishermen and residents of the town are also reported missing.

According to eyewitnesses, a large number of the pilgrims were on the beach after attending the Tamil mass at the shrine around 9.20 a.m. when the wave rising to a height of over 12 feet came crashing over them. (With the Malayalam mass under way, a large number of devotees from Kerala managed to have a fortuitous escape.) Eyewitnesses estimate that there would have been about a 1,000 people on the beachfront when the wave struck.

Though those on the seashore scurried for cover, most of them were blown away in the force. Though the wave receded in the same lightning speed, scores of people were caught in the swirling wave and pulled back into the sea. A large number of shops and fishermen dwellings on the seashore were wiped out. Several shops and houses suffered extensive damages. Though the waters did not enter the shrine, it gushed up to the bus stand inundating several shops and houses. Two of the escape routes, including North Street, were blocked by boats, buses, cars and debris.

`Total surprise'

"We were taken by total surprise. Initially, we did not suspect such a major tragedy as we were just told that seawater was gushing into the village," the Rector of the shrine, Rev. Fr. P. Xavier, told The Hindu .

Godwin of Neyveli, a survivor, said he and his family members first noticed an unusually big wave. "I asked my children and wife to get back and just as we were trying to move to safety, the massive wave engulfed us." Godwin's wife was found dead while he is still searching for his two children. Several pilgrims have lost their near and dear ones in groups. The Dinamani reporter of Tuticorin, Aruldasan, lost six of his family members. A pall of gloom hung over the village as relatives searched for kin among the bodies piled up at the shrine complex.

Heartrending scenes were witnessed every time a body was identified. The body count crossed over 100 by 9 a.m. today. With a large number of bodies remaining unidentified the shrine authorities have started digging mass graves to bury them. "The unidentified would be buried after being photographed," says Fr. Xavier.

No rescue effort

There has hardly been any rescue effort in the aftermath of the havoc.

There was hardly any relief initiative from government agencies and it was left to the shrine management to come to the rescue of the victims.

The shrine authorities and the Thanjavur Diocese have managed to mobilise about 30 Diocesan youth volunteers from Thanjavur to arrange for retrieval of bodies many of which were found lying on the seashore this morning.

Police teams formed

The Nagapattinam range DIG, Ramesh Kudawla, arrived at Velankanni in the morning to mobilise a police team to help the volunteers in retrieving the bodies.

Shortage of earthmovers, to extricate the bodies from badly-damaged houses and shops and to remove the road blocks, hampered the works. Some machines were later moved to the village.

There were also very few vehicles to transport the dead.

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