The Hindu Business Line : Waves of nightmarish memories yet to recede — People of Thanjavur coast recalled the fateful with a sense of terror

Industry & Economy - Natural Calamities

Waves of nightmarish memories yet to recede — People of Thanjavur coast recalled the fateful with a sense of terror

G. Srinivasan

People of Thanjavur coast recalled the fateful with a sense of terror

Thanjavur ,

Tsunami has not spared Thanjavur district, which has a coastline of 48 km only, that too in the Palk Straits. However, the devastation was not as heavy as the neighbouring Nagapattinam district, the worst affected in the State. But then tsunami waves surged forward and drove people away from the coast to the interior villages. Fishermen and people of Thanjavur coast also had nightmarish experience with seawater engulfing their villages. Like the neighbouring Nagapattinam district, here also they did not venture into sea for many months after the tsunami and Collector M. Veera Shanmugha Moni and other officials had to instil confidence in them by moving into the sea in boats. They also allayed fears of people about contamination of fish by eating seafood at Sethubavachathiram.

According to Mr. Veera Shanmugha Moni, and Shankar, former Revenue Divisional Officer of Pattukottai and presently Personal Assistant (General) to the Collector, 37 people died (the dead include fishermen, who went to Nagapattinam and other coastal towns for fishing on the fateful day but were native of Thanjavur district) in tsunami in the district, to whom Rs. one lakh was given as compensation each. Twentyone villages were affected by tsunami in the district and 5014 persons lost their livelihood. Three lost their houses.

Initially, Rs. 2000 in cash along with Rs.900 worth goods such as bedsheet, dhoti, sari, 60 kg of rice, and three litres of kerosene were given to them. In the next four months, Rs.1000 plus essential commodities was given to the affected. Fortythree catamarans were damaged and 232 country boats (vallams) damaged in the tsunami attack in Thanjavur coast and Rs 1.32 crore worth nets were damaged.

The Confederation of Indian Industry stepped in and helped fishermen for repair of boats.

The Muthupettai mangroves acted as a barrier and lessened the intensity of tsunami both in Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts. Though normality has returned long time back in the coastal areas of Thanjavur district and fishermen also ventured into sea for fishing, the tsunami nightmarish experience is still fresh in the minds of some of the fishermen.

The survivors recalled how they came running from the coast in places like Manora, a tourist spot, Mallipattinam, a fishing town, and Sethubavachathiram when the sea surged forward.

``We ran for 6 to 10 km and took shelter in relief centres,'' they said. Many were brought to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital and Rajah Serfoji College in Thanjavur.