Teressa’s Ali saved thousands in Andamans

A wireless operator, who saved thousands of lives on Black Sunday with what he calls his personal early warning system, in the Andaman and N...

A wireless operator, who saved thousands of lives on Black Sunday with what he calls his personal early warning system, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has earned the sobriquet ‘Father Teresa’.

Razzak Ali, 39, from the southern Andamanese island of Teressa, knew well ahead of the tsunamis that they were going to strike, thanks to his passion for environment channels.

On December 26, this wireless operator at the Port Control Tower of the island saw the sea churn ferociously and then recede. He immediately understand what was in store. ‘‘Oh my god! tsunamis are coming,’’ he shouted from the tower and ran down to warn everybody around.

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While on his way to the interior of the island, he saw a moped rider and asked him to spread the word.

‘‘Everyone, run to higher grounds,’’ he shouted. In a little while, the waves started crashing against the Port building and the police station. ‘‘I used to watch the National Geographic and knew what the tsunami was all about. That it would strike Andaman some day was something I never thought,’’ said Ali, who is posted as a wireless operator in Diglipur in North andaman after his evacuation from Teressa.

Ali said at least 50 people were killed by the giant waves. But if it hadn’t been for him, the number could’ve been in thousands in Teressa. — PTI

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