The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tsunami still haunts them

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tsunami still haunts them

B.V.S. Bhaskar

Vodalarevu (Konaseema): Cyclones, floods and other calamities are part of their life. Even a child from the age of five will try to venture into the sea. That is life of the fishermen community. For the entire fishermen community in Asia it was a nightmare and terrible experience along with thousands of people in the country on December 26, 2004, which was hit by tsunami.

East Godavari has 90 km-long coastal belt and 400 fishermen hamlets. As usually they ventured into sea for fishing on that day in the wee hours. The sea was so rough that their boat overturned.

“We had gone in a group of 20. Thirteen of us reached our village after two days. The others never returned,”said Raju, 40-year old- fishermen of Pokadaruvu hamlet off Vodalarevu.

13 missing

Nagaram constituency coast was badly affected in the tsunami. Thirteen persons have missed from this constituency and only one body was traced out. About 120 houses were washed away. Former MLA Ayyaji Vema and his trust constructed beautiful colonies in this constituency along with Missionaries, AMG and other institutions.

“They gave shelter. However, when we are venturing into sea last evening we recalled those memories and remembered whom we have lost. It is quite common in our community that some day or other we have to die in sea only because we born and brought up near that only,said Satyam, a youth, in a philosophical way.

The fishermen of these colonies are happy with the district administration. “There were few casualties. However we lost our entire equipment like nets, boats and houses. The Government responded promptly,” said Lakshmi, wife of Nookaraju of Vodalarevu.

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