Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Andaman tsunami survivors sympathise with Katrina victims
Port Blair, Sep 3: Survivors of tsunami hit Andaman and Nicobar islands have expressed sympathy for the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States.
''I wish I could help them,'' said Nicolus, a Nicobari tribal teacher posted in Nicobar group of islands.
''I can understand the condition of the poor victims of Katrina.
Hurricane Katrina is believed to have killed hundreds of people in Louisiana and Mississippi with 140-mph winds and a 30-foot wall of water that inundated a wide swath of coastline.
The Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake off Indonesia Sumatra island, killed up to 2,32,000 people in 13 countries and left over a million homeless.
''What is common between Katrina and Tsunami is we heard about both of them for the first time, but look at its affect on human lives,'' said Nicolus.
Nicolus’ family was evacuated from Mus village after tsunami and sheltered in one of the Port Blair relief camps for months.
''Katrina--is a sweet name, but can’t say same for its impact on human beings. I still get nightmares of tsunami and just hope Katrina’s victims come out of the psychological crisis soon,'' said Jay Narayan, a government servant, who was in Hut Bay on the tsunami day and now posted in Port Blair said.
Jay Narayan had spent seven days in jungles after the tsunami with many others due to fear tsunami.
But there are many, living in temporary relief camp, unaware of Katrina.
''A section of tribal people of Nicobar do not keep link with the outer world. Moreover after tsunami, many neither have television nor radio set,'' said M Prakash a NGO worker in Car
Nicobar.
''But, I have seen many tsunami survivors praying for the Katrina victims when reports appeared in the media. They could relate their sufferings with them,'' Prakash said.
''I wish I could help them,'' said Nicolus, a Nicobari tribal teacher posted in Nicobar group of islands.
''I can understand the condition of the poor victims of Katrina.
Hurricane Katrina is believed to have killed hundreds of people in Louisiana and Mississippi with 140-mph winds and a 30-foot wall of water that inundated a wide swath of coastline.
The Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake off Indonesia Sumatra island, killed up to 2,32,000 people in 13 countries and left over a million homeless.
''What is common between Katrina and Tsunami is we heard about both of them for the first time, but look at its affect on human lives,'' said Nicolus.
Nicolus’ family was evacuated from Mus village after tsunami and sheltered in one of the Port Blair relief camps for months.
''Katrina--is a sweet name, but can’t say same for its impact on human beings. I still get nightmares of tsunami and just hope Katrina’s victims come out of the psychological crisis soon,'' said Jay Narayan, a government servant, who was in Hut Bay on the tsunami day and now posted in Port Blair said.
Jay Narayan had spent seven days in jungles after the tsunami with many others due to fear tsunami.
But there are many, living in temporary relief camp, unaware of Katrina.
''A section of tribal people of Nicobar do not keep link with the outer world. Moreover after tsunami, many neither have television nor radio set,'' said M Prakash a NGO worker in Car
Nicobar.
''But, I have seen many tsunami survivors praying for the Katrina victims when reports appeared in the media. They could relate their sufferings with them,'' Prakash said.
