Date:13/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/13/stories/2007091354350800.htm

National

Tsunami warning creates a flutter in Vizag

Staff Reporter

A sigh of relief over fishermen’s return

— Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

TAKING NO CHANCES: Ramakrishna Beach Road in Visakhapatnam wears a deserted look on Wednesday evening as police asked people to clear the place.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Thanks to the tsunami scare, the favourite haunt of Vizagites – Rama Krishna Beach Road – wore a deserted look on Wednesday evening. Police asked the people, who had already gathered at the beach, to leave the place as there was threat of tsunami. By 7 p.m. Beach Road was almost empty.

Residents of apartment complexes anxiously watched the hectic activity on Beach Road from their balconies.

Police Commissioner N. Sambasiva Rao, Deputy Commissioners of Police K.V.V. Gopala Rao (Law and Order) and P. Viswa Prasad (Traffic) and other officials were seen asking motorists to leave the place.

Many fishermen left the Fishing Harbour following warnings issued by the Fisheries Department and the police over the public address system around 6.30 p.m.

“We were in our office (GVMC) when we received a message of the tsunami threat,” said corporator Vijay Chander, who belongs to the fishermen community.

“Some of our people left for fishing in their boats around 5 p.m. They normally return around 6 a.m. tomorrow.

In view of the threat, we made calls to them on their mobiles asking them to return. Their family members heaved a sigh of relief on seeing them return safely,” he said.

MLA Dronamraju Srinivas, Mayor Pulusu Janardhan Rao, Deputy Mayor Dora Babu, Congress Floor leader B. Srinivasa Rao visited Jalaripeta and met the residents. Anxiety was writ large on the faces of workers and mechanised boat operators at the Fishing Harbour.

A fisherman asked: “Did the tsunami hit any of our coastal towns and villages”? Does the threat continue?

Andhra Pradesh Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators Association vice president Ramudu said anxiety gripped the community initially but later they came to grips with the situation.

CWC warning

Meanwhile, the Cyclone Warning Centre, here, warned in a message that the tsunami might occur in spells and the first spell may not be the biggest or most damaging one.

The likely time of tsunami was given as 10 p.m. in Visakhapatnam.