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Monday, Jan 03, 2005

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Alert along shores of West Bengal

By Marcus Dam

KOLKATA, JAN. 2. West Bengal's most popular sea resort, Digha, on whose beaches nearly a lakh holiday-makers gather at the turn of each year wore an empty look over the past two days.

Panic spread among those living on the outskirts of Digha and adjoining areas last evening when a tremor, measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre off the West Bengal-Orissa coast, hit the region at 6.06 p.m. The tremor was of a ``moderate intensity,'' an official of the Alipore Meteorological department told The Hindu. There was no report of any casualty or any damage to property, the executive officer of the Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority, N.C. Haldar, said.The tremor was felt in parts of the Contai sub-division in East Midnapore district.

The local Meteorological department also reported an earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale with its epicentre off the western coast of the Great Nicobar Island at 4.42 a.m. today.

Seven days after the killer waves buffeted the coastline of the Indian Ocean the alert along West Bengal's shores continues, with local authorities warning people against visiting the beach and venturing into the sea.

Coast Guard ready

The six units of the Coast Guard at the neighbouring Haldia port remain on ``immediate notice'' position and are expected to do so at least till Wednesday, according to the Commander, Coast Guard, West Bengal, R.K. Wadhwa. ``Some of the units may have to move towards Chennai tomorrow to assist the authorities there in rescue and search operations,'' he said.

Ten families of Coast Guard personnel, evacuated from Campbell Bay in Port Blair, reached the city in an IAF aircraft yesterday, Mr. Wadhwa said. A team of medical experts had been despatched to the island following a request from the Coast Guard authorities in Port Blair.

The State's Civil Defence personnel and policemen were camping at Digha, Mr. Haldar said.

Tourists who had come to the sea resort last week have been vacating the town in batches ever since last Sunday's tragedy.

Various organisations, as well as workers belonging to different local committees of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), have been collecting donations and clothes for the victims.

The State Government has arranged for shipment of relief material, clothes and tarpaulin sheets from the Kidderpore docks. Supplies of drinking water have also been despatched to the Andamans.

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Alert along shores of West Bengal