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 |||||

Shelter Scene: A View
AIDMI Team in Tsunami Affected Coastal India
(Affected people at Palagai Tottai Kuppam. January 19, 2005.)

A temporary shelter structure at relocation site at Okkiyam, Thoraipakkam, South Chennai. There is government plan to make 2000 such shelters here.	Temporary shelters under construction in South Chennai.	Temporary shelters under construction in South Chennai.
Settlement planning offers many opportunities to accelerate local economy and housing markets. But that needs planning and participatory processes.	Another site, Sathangadu, in North Chennai under construction. 2200 temporary shelters will be ready by the end of the month. But will the affected fisherman relocate?	Women shoulder the challenge of rebuilding in North Chennai relocation site at Sathangadu. But how to go beyond physical labour to equal role in decision making?
Food markets were first to jump to normalcy around new shelters. Small businesses are providing much needed services on the new doorsteps.	From the damaged boats affected people have taken out the material that can be recycled. It will help them reduce their restoration cost.	Camping on their own on a roadside while temporary shelter is built. But what if it takes too long?