‘Dec 26 moved Andamans 3 metres closer’

The tsunami that swept across South East Asia last December 26 has brought the Andaman and Nicobar Islands closer to the mainland by at leas...

The tsunami that swept across South East Asia last December 26 has brought the Andaman and Nicobar Islands closer to the mainland by at least three metres, according to a senior government official.

At a press conference on the aftermath of the tsunami, Ocean Development Secretary Harsh Gupta said the southern tip of the islands has also gone down and that the area east of Andaman and Nicobar has moved westward by three metres. Great Nicobar has gone down by 1.3 metres, Car Nicobar by 1 meter and Port Blair by 80 cm, he said.

Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said an indigeneous early warning system for tsunami will be ready by September 2007, adding that the department will ask for outside help if and when needed.

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The Planning Commission has already given its approval in principle and the detailed project report on the technology-based system for tsunami and storm surge has been prepared and Rs 20 crore earmarked for 2005/2006.

Sibal also said the system will be an advanced version of the Pacific Ocean early warning system and is being developed in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Space and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

The Minister announced that all important elements in the system will be in place in a year’s time.

The Ministry is following an approach where it will first ascertain from modelling if the earthquake has hit the ocean floor, and next, form ties with countries like Indonesia to get information on time, he said.

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There will be 12 data buoys to record the pressure in the ocean floor, Sibal said.

The system will have a number of components from strengthening of the existing seismological network to installation of tsunami warning sensors close to the ocean bottom, tide gauge and data buoys networking and establishment of a centre for collection of information, analysis and generating warning advisories, the Minister said.

Post-tsunami surveys and preliminary findings have, meanwhile, shown that while corals have been affected by the tidal wave, areas with thick mangroves have faced the least damage.

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