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Missing image Indischer_Ozean_Beben2004.png Countries affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake In India, 10,136 people, according to official estimates, were killed and hundreds of thousands were rendered homeless when a tsunami triggered by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake near the Indonesian island of Sumatra hit the southern peninsular coast on 26 December 2004. The earthquake registered 9.0 in moment magnitude and was the biggest in four decades. This was followed by strong aftershocks, including a 6.5 magnitude quake [1] (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Quakes/ussmbj.htm) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at 14:50:01 Indian Standard time (GMT +5.30). Missing image 2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_-_animation.gif Tsunami progression, 26 Dec 2004 Disaster snapshot
Affected states and regionsMissing image Tsunami04_india1.jpg Satellite photo of east coast of India, flooded by tsunami, 26 Dec 2004 Andaman and NicobarThe Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise 572 islands (all land masses in both low and high tides) out of which 38 are inhabited, both by people from the mainland and indigenous tribes. The islands lie just north of the earthquake epicentre, and the tsunami reached a height of 15 m in the southern Nicobar Islands. The official death toll is 812, and about 7,000 are still missing. The unofficial death toll (including those missing and presumed dead) is estimated to be about 7,000. The Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands were the worst hit among all the islands because of their proximity to the quake and relative flatness. Aftershocks continue to rock the area. [2] (http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=55804) One fifth of the population of the Nicobar Islands is said to be dead, injured or missing ([3] (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/974230.cms)). Chowra Island has lost two thirds of its population of 1,500. Entire islands have been washed away, and the island of Trinket has been split in two ([4] (http://in.news.yahoo.com/041229/137/2ipv4.html)). Communications have not been restored with the Nancowry group of islands, some of which have been completely submerged, with the total number of the population still out of contact exceeding 7,000 ([5] (http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/30tsunami2.htm)). Among the casualties in Car Nicobar, 100 Indian Air Force personnel and their family members were washed away when the wave hit their air base, which was reported to have been severely damaged ([6] (http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=50910)). The St. Thomas Cathedral (also known as the John Richardson church after John Richardson, a missionary and member of parliament) was washed away. The church, established in 1930 was one of the oldest and prominent churches in the region. A cricket stadium named after John Richardson and a statue dedicated to him were also washed away. The majority of the population of Andaman Islands is made up of people from the mainland, mostly from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. The natives of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are endangered tribal groups, such as such as the Jarawa, the Sentinelese, the Shompen, the Onge and the Andamanese. They are regarded as anthropologically significant as they are some of the world's most primitive tribes and considered the world's only link to ancient civilisation. Most of these tribes have maintained their aboriginal lifestyle for centuries, and government policy has been to not interfere with them unless absolutely essential. It is reported that most of the native islanders survived the tsunami because they live on higher ground or far from the coast ([7] (http://www.hindu.com/2004/12/31/stories/2004123106661100.htm)). The Onge (with a 2001 census population of 96), Jarawa (240), Sentinelese (39) and Andamanese (43) have been reached by survey teams and are confirmed to be safe although the number of dead is unknown. The Sentinelese live on a reserved island and are hostile to outsiders which is making it difficult for Indian officials to visit the island. They have shot arrows at helicopters sent to check on them. ([8] (http://www.canada.com/components/printstory/printstory4.aspx?id=4d40b4df-f5ed-46be-a0f4-5ff01938e6aa),[9] (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4250294),[10] (http://www.expressindia.com/print.php?newsid=40160)). In the Nicobar Islands, the Nicobarese, a Mongoloid tribe (2001 population of 28,653), have lost about 656 lives with 3,000 still missing. Surveys are being conducted on the Shompen (2001 census count of 398) located on Great Nicobar island. India's only active volcano, Barren 1, located at Barren Island 135 kilometres (80 miles) northeast of the capital Port Blair, erupted because of increased seismic activity on 30 December, 2004. People have been evacuated since then and there have been no reports of any casualties. Andhra PradeshThe current official toll is 105. The affected districts are Krishna (35 dead), Prakasam (35 dead), Nellore (20 dead), Guntur (4 dead), West Godavari (8 dead) and East Godavari (3 dead). KeralaThe current official toll is 168. The affected districts are Kollam (131 dead), Alappuzha (32 dead), Ernakulam (5 dead). PondicherryAn estimated 30,000 people are homeless in the Union territory of Pondicherry. The current official toll is 560. The affected districts are Pondicherry (107 dead), Karaikal (453 dead). Tamil NaduThe state of Tamil Nadu has been the worst affected on the mainland, with a death toll of 7,793. Nagapattinam district has had 5,525 casualties, with entire villages having been destroyed. Kanyakumari district has had 808 deaths, Cuddalore district 599, the state capital Chennai 206 and Kancheepuram district 124. The death tolls in other districts were Pudukkottai (15), Ramanathapuram (6), Tirunelveli (4), Thoothukudi (3), Tiruvallur (28), Thanjavur (22), Tiruvarur (10) and Viluppuram (47). Those killed in Kanyakumari include pilgrims taking a holy dip in the sea. Of about 700 people trapped at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial off Kanyakumari, 650 were rescued. In Chennai, people playing on the Marina beach and those who taking a Sunday morning stroll were washed away, in addition to the fisherfolk who lived along the shore and those out at sea. The death toll at Velankanni in Nagapattinam district is currently 1,500. Most of these people were visiting the Basilica of the Virgin Mary for Christmas, while others were residents of the town. The nuclear power station at Kalpakkam was shut down after sea water rushed into a pump station. No radiation leak or damage to the reactor was reported ([11] (http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=tsunami&id=15969&callid=0)). About 100 casualties were reported from Kalpakkam, all power plant personnel and their families. Further meteorological/seismic developmentsThe Indian Meteorological department has warned people in coastal areas to be careful. The seas are predicted to rough due to the after shocks with tidal waves in a few coastal areas. The detailed Met report (http://education.vsnl.com/imdchennai/cslbltn.htm). The Indian government issued a fresh tsunami alert across India's coastal areas (http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=Tsunami&slug=Fresh+tsunami+alert+across+coastal+areas&id=15982&callid=0&category=National). This alert triggered panic (http://us.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/30panic.htm) in some coastal areas (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7205646), subsequent to which the government had to issue clarifications (http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=Tsunami&slug=Govt+calms+fears+over+fresh+tsunami&id=15982&callid=0&category=National) to calm the people. The Andaman region is still experiencing aftershocks of varying intensities.
The government has been asked to remain vigilant in light of these after shocks without affecting the relief and rescue operations and normal life. Government ex gratia
Helping outThis is a disaster of enormous magnitude. The disaster victims need your help. The following bodies and agencies are seeking public help and contributions:
requests on-line donations to provide for immediate relief to disaster victims
India's assistance to other quake-affected countriesThe Indian Ministry of External Affairs, along with the Indian defence forces and Home Ministry, is coordinating relief operations to Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia. Operation Castor (assistance to Maldives)Three vessels have been launched for Male.
Operation Rainbow (assistance to Sri Lanka)
Operation Ghambir (assistance to Indonesia)
See alsoExternal linksTsunami related pages & official sites of affected regions
Indian media coverage
International media coverage
Blogs and websites
Other aid efforts
India tsunami impact satellite imagery
Photographs of the disaster
Reports on earthquakes in India
Related organisationsDisaster management in India
Meteorological agencies
Other forums & discussions
NotesNote 1: Taken from the latest report at National Disaster Management Division's site (http://ndmindia.nic.in).
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