The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Point calimere escapes tsunami fury

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 30, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Point calimere escapes tsunami fury

By S. Ganesan

POINT CALIMERE (NAGAPATTINAM DISTRICT), DEC.29 . Contrary to initial apprehensions, the Point Calimere wildlife and bird sanctuary has escaped damage except in the forest shelter-belt plantations and medicinal plants, following Sunday's tsunami.

According to Wildlife officials, they have launched a survey of the sanctuary, spread over 25 sqkm, to find out whether any wild animal has died. Staff members have fanned out to various parts of the sanctuary for an on-the-spot assessment. Surveyors, who have inspected the remote parts since Tuesday, have not reported any death of animals, the Forest Range Officer, K.R. Ramachandran told The Hindu here today. On the contrary, they sighted several herds of black buck and spotted deer, major attractions of the sanctuary. These were said to be hale and hearty.

On Sunday, seawater gushed into the sanctuary and the entire campus was under four feet of water. However, water receded within a few hours, the officials said. Most parts have turned slushy, with ankle-deep muddy water, and the sanctuary has been closed to the public. It will remain so at least till this Sunday.

Jaganathan, a forest watch and ward staff member, who was atop one of the watch towers, said he saw the wild animals desperately running away from the seashore just 10 minutes before the waves struck.

No undue disturbance has been noticed in the adjacent bird sanctuary.

The tsunami struck at the height of the bird season, which runs from October to March. A large number of migratory birds, including those from Siberia and other far-off places, arrived here this season. Hundreds of flamingoes, little stints, painted storks, teals, terns, ducks and other birds could be seen this year. The congregation is attributed to good rain this year. Some rare species such as the Indian Reef Heron were also sighted here.

Plants damaged

Some of the shelterbelt plantations (a natural barrier to such calamities) of casaurina suffered damage. Medicinal plants were also damaged by the inundation, the officials said. The sanctuary has more than 150 medicinal plant species.

Lighthouse hit

There has been no damage to Ramar Patham, which is under Archaeological Survey of India maintenance. The 1000-year-old Chola lighthouse inside the sanctuary, which was in ruins even before Sunday's tsunami, was dented further and "reduced to half its size".

Forest officials said the location of Point Calimere, in the Palk Straits, and the forest cover largely contributed to reducing the damage in the region. Similarly, at Muthupettai the damage was minimised, thanks to mangrove forests.

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