The Hindu : Kerala News : Tsunami fear grips Kerala coast

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Tsunami fear grips Kerala coast

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 30. Almost the entire Kerala coast was in the grip of fear for most part of today following the alert issued by the Union Ministries of Home and Defence.

Panic-stricken people, including a large number of women and children, from the coastal hamlets of Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur rushed inland following the alert that was issued by none other than the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy. As soon as TV channels started beaming the warning issued by the Chief Minister midway through his Cabinet briefing today, people began leaving their homes in the coastal belt. However, Kollam bucked the trend with people in the coastal areas refusing to leave their homes citing lack of security to their property and valuables.

Army moves in

In Thiruvananthapuram, people from Poonthura, Valiyathura, Kadinamkulam, Veli and other areas left their homes and took every vehicle available to reach the safety of the city centre. As many as 57 relief camps were opened at different points to accommodate them and the district administration put the total number of people evacuated at 1,00,000. Police personnel went round to alert the people on another possible seismic surge and commandeerd vehicles to evacuate them to safer places.

The Army also moved in and established relief camps at the Manacaud Government Girls High School and the BNV High School at Thiruvallam with a medical team, mobile kitchen and an emergency management group. One person, Thankappan (50), of Kadinamkulam, died of heart attack as he was rushing to his home on hearing about the tsunami alert. Four cases of dysentry were reported from the BNV High School camp, but the Health Department authorities swung into action to prevent a wider outbreak of the disease.

Although Karunagappally in Kollam district had suffered the heaviest toll in Sunday's tidal upsurge, majority of people in the coastal belt refused to move out of their homes. The cashew factories and peeling sheds in interior were kept ready to house the evacuees, but only a few people moved in. In Ernakulam, the police made public announcements to warn the people and evacuated people living in the coastal belt to the 25 camps opened in the district.

Chaos in Thrissur

In Thrissur, panic prevailed in the coastal belt following the tsunami alert. Although the police personnel tried to reassure the people, the coastal areas of the district were thrown into a state chaos for hours together. People in large numbers left their homes in every available mode of transport.

Red alert in Kannur

The situation was pell mell on the beaches in Kannur following the red alert. Patients at the Government Hospital at Thalassery were shifted to the public health centres at Koothuparamba, Pinarayi and Panur.

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