All India Disaster Mitigation Institute, India

"We had heard about tidal waves in the sea. The coastal area has turned into a graveyard. The landscape has changed in many areas forever." - Mr. Nathaniya in Andamans ||||| "I saw it, with my eyes. The land separated in two parts. People just died. It is still horrible to remember. I had never seen it before. Now I see it everyday, in fact at Car Nicobar no one has seen this behaviour of sea before. We are living with sea since ages here." - Johnson in Andamans. ||||| "Nobody knew what was coming. We just saw a wall of water coming towards us. We had no option. We ran towards forest. Those who managed survived, those who failed, went away with the seawater. Fortunately I survived with my family. The Indian Air Force rescued me after two days. I spent these two days in forest with my elder son. Now I received the news about my younger son who is only nine months and safe with my mother in law." -Estervelina in Andamans ||||| "We, here inside Chennai, are not much affected but our friends in the other rural parts are severely affected. We have collected more than 4000 pairs of clothes and have distributed 400 in three relief camps. Our neighbours received them with thanks. But NGOs came and there was flood of clothes. Neighbours do not want our clothes. We would be thankful if the remaining clothes can be distributed to the affected communities in the far off Nagapattinum or Cuddlore. May be they also have too many clothes." - Sundervardhani and Laxmi in Chennai |||||

Initial Community Rebuilding:
AIDMI Team in Tsunami Affected Coastal India
(January 27, 2005)

Temporary shelters is liked and accepted very quickly by the communities. Traditional designs are drawn in these shelters in village Ganpatichetti Kullum Kuppum of Pondicherry.	Taking preparedness in small steps. AIDMI conducted fire-drill for the beneficiaries of temporary shelter and also installed it in village Puddukuppum, Villupurum, Tamil Nadu.	Groups of women busy cleaning debris in their own neighbourhoods with AIDMI support.
After having facility of temporary housing, villagers themselves are taking care of water facilities in village Puddukuppum, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu.	Women work in their homes. Shelter provides livelihood recovery space in this structure.	Vijiya wants to work, and is looking for other women. "I can work with four other women. A group will be better."