2004 Andamans tsunami: My boat was metres from the shore when the waves hit
As soon as we left the harbor, our boat suddenly rocked, and the dock where we had just boarded crumbled into the water.
When the earthquake hit at 6:30 AM local time (1:00 AM GMT), I was on a ferry traveling to Havelock, which is part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean.
Famous for its shimmering silver sands and crystal-clear blue waters, Radhanagar Beach was recently recognized as "Asia's Best Beach" by Time magazine.
My closest friend from college and her family had been residing in Port Blair, the capital of the islands, for fifteen years. However, this was my very first trip to the islands, and I arrived there on Christmas Eve.
We intended to spend three days in Havelock, so in the morning, we loaded up on snacks and sandwiches, rounded up our enthusiastic kids, and set off to catch the ferry from Phoenix Bay jetty in Port Blair.
Eager to take in every moment, I found myself on the front deck, surveying my surroundings, when calamity suddenly hit.
As soon as we left the harbor, the boat jolted unexpectedly, and in that moment, the dock where we had just boarded collapsed and plunged into the water. Right after that, the watchtower and an electric pole also gave way.
It was a remarkable scene. A crowd of people beside me stood in awe, their mouths agape.
Fortunately, the jetty was empty at that moment, meaning no one was harmed. A boat was scheduled to depart in thirty minutes, but the passengers had not shown up yet.
Picture credit: Getty Images
The tsunami flooded many houses in low-lying regions.
A crew member on the boat informed me that it was an earthquake. I wasn't aware at the time, but the quake, measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale, turned out to be the third strongest ever documented globally and continues to be the largest and most devastating in Asia.
Happening off the northwest coast of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean, it triggered a catastrophic tsunami that resulted in the deaths of around 228,000 individuals across over a dozen nations, inflicting significant destruction in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and Thailand.
The Andaman and Nicobar islands, positioned roughly 100 kilometers north of the quake's center, experienced significant destruction as a massive wave, reaching heights of up to 15 meters (49 feet) in certain areas, struck the shore approximately 15 minutes after the earthquake.
The official count of fatalities stands at 1,310, but with over 5,600 individuals unaccounted for and presumed dead, the total number of island residents lost is thought to exceed 7,000.
While we were out on the boat, we had no idea just how much destruction surrounded us. Our phones weren’t functional on the water, so we relied on bits and pieces of information from the crew. They told us about the devastation in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Maldives, as well as the coastal town of Nagapattinam in southern India.
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On December 27, 2004, men in India appeared weary as they looked for their missing family members in Cuddalore.
However, there was no mention of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which consist of hundreds of islands spread throughout the Bay of Bengal, situated approximately 1,500 kilometers (915 miles) east of mainland India.
Out of the total, just 38 islands had residents. These islands were inhabited by 400,000 individuals, which included six groups of hunter-gatherers who had remained cut off from external influences for thousands of years.
The only way to reach the islands was by ferry, but we soon discovered that around 94% of the docking points in the area had been affected.
This is why we couldn't reach Havelock on December 26, 2004. We were informed that the pier was damaged and submerged.
The boat made a U-turn and began heading back. There were some concerns that we might not receive permission to dock at Port Blair due to safety issues, which could mean we'd have to stay anchored overnight.
This left the travelers—primarily vacationers eager for sunshine and beach time—feeling uneasy.
After spending several hours bouncing around in choppy waters, we finally made it back to Port Blair. Since Phoenix Bay was shut down due to the damage from earlier in the day, we were directed to Chatham, another port in the area. The dock where we disembarked had large, open gaps in several spots.
As we made our way home, the evidence of destruction was evident everywhere. Structures lay in ruins, overturned boats were scattered in the streets, and the roads were deeply cracked. The tidal wave had left thousands without shelter, especially in the low-lying neighborhoods that were submerged.
I came across a nine-year-old girl who had been deeply affected by trauma; her home was flooded, and she shared with me that she had almost drowned. Another woman recounted how she lost everything she owned in an instant.
Photo credit: Getty Images
In Port Blair, structures were reduced to debris, overturned boats lay in the streets, and the roads were marked by large crevices.
During the following three weeks, I provided in-depth coverage of the disaster and its impact on the community.
This was the first instance of a tsunami causing such destruction in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and the magnitude of the disaster was truly staggering.
Saltwater polluted numerous freshwater sources and ruined extensive areas of farmland. It was challenging to transport essential supplies to the islands due to the jetties being in disrepair.
The officials launched a substantial rescue and aid operation. The military branches, including the army, navy, and air force, were sent in, but it took several days to reach all the islands.
Each day, navy and coast guard vessels ferried groups of individuals displaced by the tsunami from various islands to Port Blair, where schools and government facilities were converted into makeshift shelters.
They shared heartbreaking tales of destruction from their countries. Several of them mentioned that they had fled with only the clothes they were wearing.
A woman from Car Nicobar shared with me that when the earthquake occurred, the earth began to release frothy water just as the waves approached from the ocean.
She and many others from her village had endured a 48-hour wait for help without any food or water. She described it as a "miracle" that both she and her newborn, just 20 days old, had made it through.
Port Blair experienced frequent aftershocks, with some being intense enough to spark rumors of new tsunamis. This caused frightened residents to rush to higher ground for safety.
Image credit: Getty Images
Countless individuals found themselves without shelter.
A few days later, the Indian military arranged for journalists to visit Car Nicobar, a flat and fertile island famous for its beautiful beaches. It is also the site of a significant Indian Air Force base.
The devastating tsunami utterly destroyed the base. The water surged to a height of 12 meters, and while many were peacefully sleeping, the earth vanished from beneath them. A hundred lives were lost in this tragedy, with over half of the victims being air force personnel and their families.
We traveled to the villages of Malacca and Kaakan on the island, which were heavily affected by the impact of nature. Many residents had to seek refuge in tents set up along the roads. Among them were families who had been separated by the tidal wave.
A devastated young couple shared with me that they were able to rescue their five-month-old baby, but tragically, their older children, who were seven and twelve years old, were lost in the flood.
Every house had been reduced to ruins, with coconut palms standing tall all around. Scattered among the debris were personal items such as clothing, school books, a small shoe belonging to a child, and a musical keyboard.
The only thing that remained surprisingly undamaged was a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Indian nation, located at a traffic circle.
Photo credit: Getty Images
The Indian Air Force facility in Car Nicobar was completely destroyed by the tsunami.
A high-ranking military official informed us that his unit had found seven bodies that day, and we observed their collective cremation from afar.
At the air force base, we observed as rescue workers retrieved a woman's body from the rubble.
An official stated that for each body discovered in Car Nicobar, numerous others had been carried away by the waves, disappearing without a sign.
Even after all this time, I still occasionally remember the day I boarded the ferry to Havelock.
I can't help but think about how things might have turned out if the earthquakes had hit just a few minutes sooner.
What might have occurred if that massive wave had struck the beach while I was standing on the jetty, waiting to get on our ferry?
On December 26, 2004, I narrowly escaped a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, many who faced it were not as fortunate.
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