TSUNAMI - 2004

My vacation ended early in 2004 and I had to return to Maldives on 21^st December 2004. Usually I return after Christmas and New Year. I tried to change the date of my flight but was informed that all the flights during the end of December and early January were full.

At the airport, I met a friend and on landing at Male, we decided to take a room together. Unfortunately, most of the hotel rooms were full and we had to stay at a less convenient place. Next morning we vacated the room and found a better place. Another friend landed at Male on that day and joined us.

On Christmas Eve we left for Raa Meedhoo in Raa Atoll, which was our place of work. We traveled by a speed boat. We reached Raa Meedhoo in the afternoon. Next day, it was Christmas and we had lunch together. One of my friends had bought canned chicken from Male and we had it with lunch. The three of us were early. Another colleague from orissa arrived that day. The others would join us only in the first week of January.

On 26^th December, I was at my residence washing my clothes in the morning, when my two friends came rushing to inform me that the sea waves had come deep into the island near the boat jetty. They looked shocked. I couldn't understand. I was staying near the center of the island and the waves did not reach that far. Afterwards, I went to the boat jetty and noticed that the sand was wet for a long distance inland. Water had come inland and gone back. I saw that the sea level was higher than usual. Some boys were placing sacks filled with sand at the gates of their houses near the boat jetty hoping to stop the water if the waves return.

Later that day, I came to know that there was an earthquake near Indonesia which set off the Tsunami. It was the first time I heard the word ‘Tsunami’ which is a Japanese word. It seems in Japan they experience it more often. I got the news that more than two hundred thousand people had died in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India due to the Tsunami. I tried to call home to inform them that I was okay but the phone lines were disconnected. Late that night I got a call from my brother in the UK. I told him I was okay and that the Tsunami did not have much effect on our island. I asked him to call home and inform them that I was safe.

I remember seeing an Indian teacher arriving with his family after the vacation. He had two small children with him. He was carrying a lot of luggage including a new computer. Later on, I came to know that the island where he worked was flooded during the tsunami and he lost most of his belongings. Expatriates who were similarly affected were given the option to return to their country and come back after a few weeks. The beginning of the academic year was put off due to the tsunami. There was no compensation for the expatriates. Locals were given some compensation by the government. A friend who was at the State Bank of India in Male on that day told me that the sea water had entered the bank premises while he was making some transaction. Only a few islands in the Maldives were badly affected, though they are all low lying islands. Later on, I watched a program on TV in which an expert gave an explanation. He said since there are more than a thousand small islands in the Maldives, the tsunami waves were able to pass along the gaps between the islands, which resulted in less damage. We were lucky to be unaffected.

Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush visited the Maldives in connection with relief aid. Maldivian President Gayoom received them and showed them the affected areas hoping to get as much aid as possible. A friend of mine who was at Male during that time claims to have shaken hands with both the American Presidents during their arrival.

The Red Cross provided relief supplies including food items like biscuits and canned food. They also distributed water storage tanks to households and arranged disaster management classes for some of the locals. Maldives also received a few desalination plants as aid.