TSUNAMI - 2004

My vacation ended early in 2004 and I had to return to Maldives on 21^st December. Usually I return after Christmas and New Year. I tried to change the date of my flight but was informed that all the flights during the end of December and early January were full.

At the airport, I met a friend and on landing at Male, the capital of Maldives, we decided to take a room together. Unfortunately, most of the hotel rooms were full and we had to stay at a less convenient place. Next morning we vacated the room and found a better place. Another friend landed at Male on that day and joined us.

On Christmas eve we left for Raa Meedhoo in Raa Atoll, which was our place of work. We traveled by a speed launch. We reached Raa Meedhoo in the afternoon. Next day, it was Christmas and we had lunch together. One of my friends had bought canned chicken from Male and we had it with lunch. The three of us were early. Another colleague from orissa arrived that day. The others would join us only in the first week of January.

On 26^th December, I was at my residence washing my clothes in the morning, when my two friends came rushing to inform me that the sea waves had come deep into the island near the boat jetty. They looked shocked. I couldn't understand. I was staying near the center of the island and the waves did not reach that far. Afterwards, I went to the boat jetty and noticed that the sand was wet for a long distance inland. Water had come inland and gone back. I saw that the sea level was higher than usual. Some boys were placing sacks filled with sand at the gates of their houses near the boat jetty hoping to stop the water if the waves return.

Later that day, I came to know that there was an earthquake near Indonesia which set off the Tsunami. It was the first time I heard the word ‘Tsunami’ which is a Japanese word. It seems in Japan they experience it more often. I got the news that more than two hundred thousand people had died in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India due to the Tsunami. I tried to call home to inform them that I was okay but the phone lines were disconnected. Late that night I got a call from my brother in the UK. I told him I was okay and that the Tsunami did not have much affect on our island. I asked him to call home and inform them that I was safe.

Only a few islands in the Maldives were badly affected, though they are all low lying islands. Later on, I watched a program on TV in which an expert gave an explanation. He said since there are more than a thousand small islands in the Maldives, the tsunami waves were able to pass along the gaps between the islands, which resulted in less damage. We were lucky to be unaffected.