NAGAPATTINAM: Twenty years have passed since the giant waves lashed Tamil Nadu’s coast that fateful December 26, taking over 8,000 lives in the state. Yet, is the state better prepared now? If the example of erstwhile Nagapattinam, where over 6,000 people died, is taken as an example, the answer would be no as per activists.
“Even now, the coastal districts are vulnerable and unequipped to face another tsunami. Nagapattinam needs better warning systems, protective barriers and response measures. Compared to the scenario 20 years ago, the area is more densely populated. Without adequate measures in place, the people would be at the receiving end of natural calamities,” says RMP Rajendira Nattar, a fisherman-turned-activist from the present Nagapattinam district.
Many researchers have stressed on the importance of increasing the mangrove cover along coastal areas. At present, Nagapattinam has 1,700 hectares of the mangrove plantation and 1,200 hectares of mangrove reserve forest in Thalaignayiru. Mayiladuthurai district, which was carved out of erstwhile Nagai, has about 500 hectares. The distribution of the mangroves is non-contiguous in both districts.
“The mangroves, the foremost natural barriers that can reduce the impact of a tsunami and also mitigate the effects of climate change, are still inadequate in vulnerable districts like Nagapattinam,” explains Dr Kurian Joseph, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management at Anna University.
Dr V Selvam, another researcher who works in mangrove afforestation projects, says the state government should conduct Environmental Flow Assessments (EFA) in vulnerable districts like Nagapattinam so that mangrove cover could be improved.
Experts are also fighting to have non-mangrove multilevel bio-shields developed in vulnerable districts. “Trees such as Indian Beech, Oil Nut, Screw Pine and Mahua can grow in sandy soil, compared to mangroves that need muddy soil. They also provide resistance and can mitigate the impact of tsunami,” Dr Selvam adds.
The fisherfolk, on the other hand, demand the construction of rubble-mound seawalls as barriers in all coastal villages to protect them from the impact of waves, tides and tsunamis. The walls can also protect the coastline from erosion. However, such seawalls are constructed only in very few villages in the two districts, they said.
Nagapattinam, that has 26 coastal villages, has only six multipurpose shelters and 11 cyclone shelters, while Mayiladuthuraim home to 28 coastal villages, has only four multipurpose shelters and 10 cyclone shelters.
Many of these shelters were built after the tsunami to accommodate people during the calamities that followed. Dr Kurian Joseph stresses that every vulnerable village should have such centres with adequate capacity.
Collector P Akash says the district is now better equipped to handle a tsunami. “We have 25 early warning systems in coastal villages to alert in cases of a tsunami. Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) of Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) will also issue alerts. We can evacuate people to safer places in an hour.”
He adds that the fisheries and forest departments are working to increase the structures and barriers along the coastline to combat Tsunami.