The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Nagapattinam News : Police keep vigil in coastal villages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam

Police keep vigil in coastal villages

By Our Staff Reporter

NAGAPATTINAM, MARCH 29. The district administration and the police are keeping a vigil in the coastal areas although the government withdrew the tsunami alert this morning, said the Collector, J. Radhakrishnan, here today.

Normal life was not affected in the town and other coastal areas today. All educational institutions, shops and commercial establishments functioned as usual.

He told The Hindu that the district administration and the police took steps last night and asked the people living in coastal areas to move to safer places immediately.

Even before government made the announcement, hundreds of people from Akkaraipettai and Keechankuppam in Nagapattinam coast, Velankanni, Nagore, Pazhayar, Poompuhar, Tharangampadi and Sirkazhi areas had started fleeing from their villages and ran away for about two kilometres from the shore for safety.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said that thousands of people from the coastal villages near Nagapattinam were accommodated in schools and marriage halls in Nagapattinam last night and were provided with breakfast this morning before they returned to their homes.

In Nagapattinam, a large number of families temporarily shifted their place to Kilvelur, Manjakollai and Tiruvarur. Similarly, people from the coastal hamlets near Velankanni ran for safety last night.

Although the police announced through the public address system that there was no tsunami threat, fishermen and villagers were in the grip of `tsunami fever.'

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Police keep vigil in coastal villages