Kanyakumari is the Southernmost district of Tamil Nadu. The district lies between 77o 15′ and 77o 36′ of the eastern longitudes and 8o 03′ and 8o 35′ of the northern latitudes. Kanyakumari District is known as the “land’s tip of India.” It is “a fairy land” and lies at the southern tip of the Indian sub-continent. It was formerly known by English as Cape Comorin. It belonged to the erstwhile princely state of Travancore-Cochin. The Kanyakumari district has an area of 1672 sq. km.1 To the south is the Indian Ocean that superbly mingled with the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. To the west and the northwest it is bounded by Kerala. It has a coastal line of 68 kilometres which accounts for 7.2 % of the state’s coastal length. Kanyakumari District has the highest ratio of literacy in Tamilnadu. In Kanyakumari District 33 coastal villages were badly affected in Tsunami. One Lakh people were affected and 17,200 houses are deadly damaged. Around 819 persons were killed and 329 injured. More than 5000 fishing boats were damaged. The Government setup 62 relief camps to accommodate 39810 persons.
Tsunami
In the period of Sangam Age, the most destructive waves are generated from large area on the ocean floor that is called in many names as “Kadalkol”, “Deluge” and “Pralaya”. After the Sangam period the above names became obsolete and the new name is now popularly known as Tsunami. It would ensure the long-term security of the sole means of survival for more than five million fishermen and women living. A larger part of land beyond the present Kanyakumari is said to have submerged under sea thousand years ago. This sorrowful incident is lamented in “Silappathikaram.”
On 26th December 2004 Tsunami wave caused due to the sea water entering into the coastal land areas. The Tsunami took away the lives of thousands and destroyed the entire fabric of the fisher folk and others living in the coastal areas. Tsunami is generated when the sea-floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Almost all coastal villages in Kanyakumari District witnessed to nature’s gory dance of death as the tidal waves swallowed men, women, children and animals. Some of the non fishing folk, who had gone to the beach to watch the sea, were also washed away.2 The two and a half year old girl was drowned when her grandfather carried her to the sea shore at Sothavilai to show her waves. The Tsunami that affected thousands of lives including that of children was unexpected and sudden leaving children confused, shocked and frightened. In a moment, their whole world was disrupted. Some children were orphaned, some lost one parent, some lost their siblings, and for some they had to adjust to a displaced life as they lost their homes. Tsunami returned to devastate India after an interval of more than sixty years.3
The Tsunami of 1941 and before that in 1881 was set of by earth quakes in the Andhaman and Nicobar Islands. The total of 2,260 kms of the coastline besides Nicobar Island was affected. The coastal landscape of Kanyakumari District consists of long and sandy beaches, rocky and sandy ridges, sandy and swampy estuaries. The estimate 2,17,440 fisher-folks are distributed in the 44 villages of Kanyakumari coast and coastline about 26 percent of the fishermen of Tamilnadu. The population density of coastal villages is very high and the houses are very much congested. Almost all the villages face severe land problems, insanitation and water scarcity. The marine fisheries sector has an important place in the district economy.4 The fishermen and other people who lived in the coastal areas, were badly affected by the Tsunami. The fishermen lost their family members, fishing nets, boats, other means of livelihood and houses thereby their lives shattered and destroyed. They have their living near the sea shore for generations worshipping the Sea Goddess who is supported to nurture and protect them and enable them to fish and feed their family. The same sea all of a sudden becomes angry, furious and causes massive destruction to their lives. Official estimates issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, says that the death toll due to the tsunami is 9,995, with Tamilnadu accounting for 7,923 of the death alone. Number of missing people was put at 6011, after thirteen days of the tsunami. The total loss accounting for the loss of houses, means of livelihood and other infrastructures estimated were Forty seven billion in Tamilnadu, which is alone 50% of the total loss in South India.5 The centre and state Governments, besides individuals and organizations, have committed themselves to providing relief to the victims. In Kanyakumari District an extent of 12 hectares horticultural lands are affected. In Kanyakumari District, 33 coastal villages were affected by Tsunami, which resulted in the loss of 873 lives, apart from many hundreds getting injured and properties worth crores destroyed.6
The Kanyakumari District administration has started identifying land for the construction of permanent houses for Tsunami affected fisher folk. All new settlements should comply with the Coastal Regulation Zone stipulations, which prohibited construction within 500 meters, from the sea. Even fisherman who had not been affected by the killer waves would be persuaded to shift to a safe distance. Permanent rehabilitation would be taken up later. This will include, “reconstruction of houses, provision of boats and nets and anything they will require to start a new life. This will be an enormous Package running into several hundred crores”. The fishermen have to work very hard. Their occupation is to fight against the tides, over the ocean currents of the under water. The destruction was severe. Huts and pucca houses have been flattened, fishing boats have been smashed, buses and big tankers have been strewn around. The families living along the coastline have lost all their possessions. Counseling is one of the main rehabilitation measures for the traumatized victims. It takes patience, gentleness, compassion and the ability to listen with love and understanding. The definite of the fisher people have been wounded by the insensitivity of donors who have thrown aid at them in an appallingly crude manner. Residents of the coastal areas started running to land the moment then saw the waves approaching their hutments. Many of them lost the race. All the houses at Azikkal near Kovalam in Kanyakumari District were damaged.7 The three kilometer long road, connecting Colachel with Vaniyakudi, was flooded. Road traffic in the district remained paralyzed. Hundreds of people, carrying their children and belongings walked to safety from Mandaicadu, Manavalakurichi and Colachel. The affected were put to hardship as the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation stopped services on the Colachel and Kadiyapattinam routes.8
In areas about 1 to 2 k.m away from the coast water entered inside and resulted in moderate damage. In a large number of semi-engineered houses, walls facing the tsunami collapsed and all the furniture was washed away with the inhabitants. Water entered the villages and blocked the accesses, thus trapping many people inside their houses. This phenomenon resulted in panic and increased the extent of damage to the living environment in the affected areas.
Houses should not be located in a high hazard area but also should not be located too far away from the shore in order to facilitate easy conveyance of fishing implements. Houses should be designed with adequate insulation so that they can prove useful and habitable throughout the year. Use of locally available material like coconut thatch and coconut mat should be encouraged which can be used in combination with modern materials like cement concrete, asbestos cement sheets and ferrocrete.9 Such houses should be arranged in a way, such that those can retain the character of a typical fishing hamlet where adequate space is allocated for the performing of day-to-day activities. Considering the characteristics of typical rural houses of fishermen, the upgrading of traditional design and constructional practices is the key consideration for rehabilitation projects so that they stand a better chance of survival in the future. The requirement is that the architects should study and learn the skills that will make their contribution truly useful for the victims of tsunami in India.
– Dr. T. Jenila Santhi
Lecturer in History, Scott Christian College(Autonomous), Nagercoil.
References
1. Rashmi Saksena, Rebuilding of Ports and the Fishing Economy, 30th January 2005, p. 50 – 37.
2. B. N.Dhar, Profiles of Disaster Management Social Welfare, Vol.51, No.11, February 2005, pp. 38- 40.
3. Paul Wastsor, Tsunami Rehabilitation, 23rd January 2005, p. 32.
4. Litta Jacob, Tsunami Rehabilitation, 13th February 2005, pp. 34 – 36.
5. Report of the Agony to Ecstasy Tsunami Response, Kottar Social Service Society (KSSS), Nagercoil, 2006, pp. 7 – 8.
6. A. Gokhale & Vasudha, “Analytical Study of Living Environment in the Tsunami-Affected Areas of Tamil Nadu” in ISET Journal of Earthquake Technology Technical Note, Vol.42, Issue.4, 2005, pp. 219-225.
7. K.Palanisamy, Tsunami – Rehabilitation of Fisheries Sector – Focus on Nagapattinam, NABARD Technical Digest, Issue.9, 2006, p. 38.
8. The Hindu, Thiruvanathapuram, 31st December 2004, p.5.
9. The Indian Express, Madurai, 18th January 2005, p. 8.