Friday, January 07, 2005

Andaman and Nicobar Update

I'm sure glad I posted that letter from the NSA of that island country, because it isn't even listed on CNN's account of the death toll. I did find this story. There was great concern that some of the tribal societies there had been wiped out, but they were shooting arrows at a relief helicopter, which was more a cause of relief than concern. Obviously, if these people can shoot arrows, they have survived.

The other news I found came from the Tsumani help page:

Car Nicobar Island The area around the airfield was the hardest-hit, with an area of approximately 5km of coastline virtually wiped out up to 500m inland. At least one road was destroyed. To the south of the airfield, there was a village that was spared the most severe damage, but a surge reached inland approximately 1km over a stretch 1km wide. The road circling the island was wiped out in an area about 40m long, and damaged along a stretch almost 800m long. There were a dozen small villages along the north side of the island that were damaged. Damage ranged from minimal to severe, depending on their distance from the shoreline. Along the south side of the island and to the southwest, there was evidence that the wave had struck, but not much indication of damage.

The accounts about this island really point up how critical infrastructure is -- the place was devastated, but since they had an airfield there, aid was able to reach them quickly, and it is starting to recover.


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