The Hindu : Kerala News : Fresh alert on tsunami triggers exodus

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

Kerala

Kerala

Fresh alert on tsunami triggers exodus

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 30. After the midnight scare on Monday, it was another day of tsunami scare in Kerala with the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, himself issuing the alert.

The Chief Minister interrupted a special Cabinet meeting at 10.45 a.m. today to announce to the media that another tsunami would hit the Kerala coast by 12 noon.

Mr. Chandy said he was issuing the warning in view of alerts he had received from the Ministries of Home and Defence.

He said that an earthquake of magnitude of 5.2 on the Richter scale had rocked Sumatra this morning followed by another quake of magnitude of 5.5 in the Andamans. A tsunami that might result from these quakes would reach Kerala by noon.

However, he cautioned that the scientists of the Centre for Earth Science Studies here do not share the view, adding that there was no need for panic. Aftershocks of the magnitude cited were common. They were not expected to generate a tsunami.

He also noted that the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, was continuing his visit as scheduled. This indicated that there was no need for panic. However, the Government could not ignore a warning from the Home Ministry and directives had been issued to the Collectors and Superintendents of Police to remain vigilant.

The announcement resulted in a near exodus of people from several coastal areas, especially from areas affected by tsunami on Sunday.

Later, the Chief Secretary, Babu Jacob, read out a communication received from the National Disaster Management group under the Home Ministry that said that an earthquake was feared to occur on the Australian coast and there was the possibility of a tsunami generated by the quake hitting the Indian coast in the afternoon. The alert was based on the view of foreign experts and Web sites. It was received at the Chief Secretary's office at 11.42 a.m. However, there were no reports of earthquakes either in Australia or Andamans till the evening.

A notable aspect of the alert was that it asked the Government not allow people into coastal areas within two km from the coastline. This direction was not strictly implemented. If the Government had gone by the directive, it would have meant cancellation of flights from the Thiruvananthapuram airport and evacuation of people from facilities such as the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre here. The alert, however, resulted in disruption of train services, closure of Veli Tourism Village and lot of panic.

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