The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Providential escape for family

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

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Providential escape for family

By Our Staff Reporter

WARANGAL, DEC. 30. It was like reading a horrifying science fiction listening to D. Rama Rao, an employee of Kakatiya Grameena Bank, who survived the tsunami in Andaman and Nicobar.

Mr. Rama Rao and his family went to the island on a holiday, but by providence, they managed to escape from the tidal waves that killed thousands of people.

"We were about to leave for the airport on December 26 morning from our Divyam Manora hotel. Suddenly my 19-year old son, Vyas, felt the tremors. However, we did not believe in him. But suddenly the belongings on the table fell down and we then sensed the trouble. Soon, we ran for our life leaving everything behind,'' he said relating his experience.

Heart-rending scenes

Immediately, army personnel instructed the people to reach to the airport, as it was safer place. Mr. Rama Rao said he saw everything being washed away in the waves. "The vehicles parked on the beach, boats and people who were relaxing there suddenly disappeared in a split of time. It took a lot of time to relieve ourselves from those chilling moments,'' Mr. Rao said reminiscing.

Later, his family members took shelter at the airport for 24 hours, as the flights were cancelled following the disaster. "We did not think of anything under the sun except our lives. The tremors continued thereafter and we were doubtful about our safe journey to Chennai,'' he said adding that they boarded a flight on December 27 morning when the Government started operating smaller flights with 113-seat capacity.

Meanwhile, the 13-year-old girl Meghana, who survived the calamity at Andaman & Nicobar islands, joined her grandparents here at Hanamkonda. The girl who is yet to come to terms with all that happened, remains terrified. Having recounted her experience time and again, she is unable to relate the dreaded moments when a group of scribes flocked around her. The wailing of relatives of those who died, made her feel all the more miserable.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh