New sea threat to Andamans

2005-01-10 21:05

Pratap Chakravarty

Port Blair - People ran to higher ground as sea water gushed into the Andaman islands on Monday, prompting fears that tide patterns may have changed since tsunamis hit the region, threatening to wreak havoc on the archipelago.

The waves overran sea walls and spouted up sewers with great force in low lying areas of the capital Port Blair as the tide rose to its highest level since the tsunamis devastated this resort paradise in the Indian Ocean.

The tide peaked at 2.35m, 10cm higher than Sunday's levels, when shallow areas of Port Blair were inundated with sea water.

Police and soldiers blocked residential districts as waters came in, witnesses said.

"If this is going to be the pattern then we are doomed forever. Land-use will change, lifestyles will change," said Samir Acharya, founder of the non-governmental Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology.

'Vulnerable to flooding'

Andamanese authorities, meanwhile published satellite photographs of areas in Port Blair and islands ringing the capital as "vulnerable to flooding" as people began taking precautions.

"Yesterday's (Sunday's) water destroyed our belongings so we are not taking chances today as the tide level is expected to be even higher," said Varun Singh of the seaside district of Corbyn's Cove, marked in red as a danger zone, before the high tide.

The entire island of Tarmugli on Port Blair's west in the Bay of Bengal was declared vulnerable to flooding while Chatham Island was a speck of red in the satellite imagery published for public awareness.

"We are now living in areas marked in green until the angry seas subside," said Gautam Banerjee of Gupta Para in the red zone.

Women prayed to the seas, offering up coconuts, believing that the gesture would calm the waters surrounding Port Blair and dozens of islands in the region.

Serious flooding

Marine experts say the increased sea levels may not cause serious damage on the islands but low-lying areas of Port Blair risked serious flooding in the next two days.

More than 12 000 survivors of the December 26 tsunamis are camping in makeshift shelters around Port Blair.

Sea water on Thursday lapped just inches below the wharves at Port Blair's main commercial harbour an hour before the peak tide of 1.82m.

The high tide touched 2.11m as predicted on Saturday and it is scheduled to peak at a record 2.40m on Tuesday before settling down by January 14.

Scientists are debating whether parts of the Andamans have settled deeper into the Indian ocean since last month's massive earthquake off nearby Indonesia or if tide patterns have changed following the tsunamis.

A survey began on Monday to confirm if the earthquake and tsunamis have reshaped the topography of the Andamans archipelago.

- AFP