Before the tsunami of 2004, Nicobar islands had a population of 50,000, with almost all Nicobari tribals bearing allegiance to the Church of North India. For this sparsely populated area, the 3,500 lives lost in the tsunami amounted to 7% of the population. In 2004, I was posted as inspector general of police of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The epicentre was only 150km from Indira Point and the intensity of the earthquake was 9.1 on the Richter Scale; compare that to the Latur quake, which registered at a mere 6.4. The Richter Scale is not linear but exponential, the intensity multiplying 33 times for readings between 8 and 9, and quakes cause disturbances in the ocean that can reach a speed of up to 450km an hour. On the surface of the water, there is barely a ripple, 20 cm to 70 cm high, imperceptible to boats and fishermen at sea, but its awesome power erupts on barriers it encounters. Read on.....
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 17:21:58 +0000
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