According to official estimates in India, 10,136 people were killed and hundreds of
thousands made homeless when a tsunami triggered by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake near the
Indonesian island of Sumatra struck the southern coast on 26 December 2004.
The earthquake registered 9.1–9.3 Mw, and was the largest in five decades.
It was followed by strong aftershocks on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Affected states and regions The Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise 572
islands, of which 38 are inhabited by people from the mainland and indigenous tribes.
The islands were just north of the earthquake epicentre, and the tsunami reached a height
of 15 metres in the southern Nicobar Islands.
The official death toll was 1,310, with about 5,600 missing.
The unofficial death toll was estimated at 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 relatively flat terrain.
Aftershocks rocked the area, and one-fifth of the population of the Nicobar Islands was
reported dead, injured or missing.
Chowra Island lost two-thirds of its population of 1,500.
Entire islands were submerged, and Trinket Island was divided in two.
Communications were cut to the Nancowry group of islands, some of which were submerged.
On Car Nicobar, 111 Indian Air Force personnel and their family members were washed away
when the tsunami severely damaged their air base.
St. Thomas Cathedral 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.
Most of the population of the Andaman Islands are people from the mainland, primarily West
Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
The natives of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are endangered tribal groups, such as the
Jarawa, Sentinelese, Shompen, Onge and the Great Andamanese.
They are anthropologically-significant as some of the world's most primitive tribes.
Most have maintained their lifestyle for centuries, and government policy is one of non-interference.
Most of the native islanders reportedly survived the tsunami because they live on higher ground
or far from the coast.
The Onge, Jarawa, Sentinelese and Great Andamanese were reached by survey teams.
The Sentinelese, on an island reserve, are hostile to outsiders and shot arrows at helicopters
sent to check on them.
On the Nicobar Islands the Nicobarese, a tribe with a Southeast Asian heritage, lost about
656 lives with 3,000 missing.
Surveys were conducted on the Shompen located on Great Nicobar island.
India's only active volcano, Barren 1 northeast of Port Blair), erupted on 30 December due
to increased seismic activity.
The population was evacuated, and there were no casualties.
Indira Point, the southernmost point of the Great Nicobar Island and India itself, subsided
4.25 metres in the tsunami and its lighthouse was damaged.
Meteorological and seismic reports The Indian Meteorological Department warned
people in coastal areas to exercise caution, due to rough seas and tidal waves.
The Indian government issued a tsunami alert across India's coastal areas, triggering a
panic which required clarifications.
Ex gratia payments See also
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake References
External links Rediff.com
BBC coverage GlobalSecurity.org
CRISP, Singapore Rediff photos, set 1 Photo set 2
Times of India photos The Hindu photos
BBC photos Tribune India photos
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Tsunami page
Notes Note 1: Taken from the latest report at National
Disaster Management Division's site.