Date:07/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/01/07/stories/2005010701601300.htm

National

Tsunami loss in South put at Rs. 5,322 crores

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI, JAN. 6. The Centre today made a preliminary estimate of the financial loss due to the December 26 tsunami that struck Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry. The damage in the four southern coastal States was estimated at Rs. 5,322.05 crores ($1.18 billion). A detailed assessment for the worst-hit Andaman and Nicobar Islands was being carried out.

The financial loss in Tamil Nadu was put at Rs. 2,730.70 crores, Andhra Pradesh Rs. 720.73 crores, Kerala Rs. 1,358.62 crores and Pondicherry Rs. 512 crores.

According to the Home Ministry's Disaster Management Division, the toll has risen to 9,682 with Tamil Nadu accounting for 7,923 deaths. The number of missing people was put at 6,011.

The Ministry quoted reports from Indian Missions as saying that 12 Indian nationals were killed in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia. While seven Indian nationals died and 12 to 15 were missing in Sri Lanka, one died in the Maldives, three in Thailand and two in Indonesia.

As many as 111 aftershocks have been reported in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands since December 26 of which 99 were between 5 and 6 on the Richter Scale. All precautionary steps had been taken to prevent the outbreak of any epidemic in these areas.

According to reports received by the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, 162 km of National Highways and 462 km of State highways, seven bridges and 34 culverts have been damaged in the mainland States. The Ministry despatched a team of experts to repair jetties and other structures.

Water supply restored

According to officials about 80 per cent of water supply through pipelines has been restored in Port Blair. Two fresh water sources have been located in Little Andaman. The harbour at Port Blair has become fully functional and is receiving large ships. Half of the 49 jetties in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands suffered substantial damage and 25 of them have now been made operational. As many as 38 telephone exchanges in the North, middle and South group of Andaman Islands have been made functional. The Indian Space Research Organisation has established satellite links and efforts are on to restore BSNL network in Little Andaman.

In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands alone, about 1,922 tonnes of relief material has been delivered so far, including 499 tonnes of food, 486 tonnes of drinking water, 104 tonnes of medicines and disinfectants and 715 diesel generating sets. In all affected States and territories, about 3,470 tonnes of relief material has been delivered.

The Tourism Ministry has said that there have not been cancellations from foreign tourists visiting India in the wake of the tsunami. Foreign tourist arrivals crossed the three million mark for the first time in 2004, recording a 23.5 per cent increase over the previous year.

A total of 3.37 million visitors came to India last year as against 2.74 million in 2003. Foreign exchange earnings in 2004 recorded a 32.9 per cent jump to Rs. 21,828 crores from Rs. 16,429 crores in 2003, a Ministry release said.

Nineteen tourism yachts from the U.K. which were on their way to Phuket, Thailand, when the tsunami hit would land at Kochi and the tourists would spend their holiday in India.

On the Tourism Ministry's request, the Government has decided to provide visa-on-arrival to the group. Some tour operators reported that domestic tourists were going to Nepal, Goa and hill stations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal instead of the southern coastal States.