January 20, 2005
Washington Times
Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- In the weeks since last month's tsunami, more than 7,000 people on India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands have packed up and returned to the mainland.
Rumors of islands tilting after the earthquake, rising sea levels and possible flooding of many coastal regions during high tides have triggered the exodus, the BBC reported Wednesday.
Settlers from the Indian mainland states of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu make up the majority of the archipelago's more than 400,000 people. Now many of them are crowding into Port Blair ship transport offices, harassing ticket agents to get a place on a ship to Calcutta or Madras.
"People are really panicky here and many are desperate to leave," said ticket agent B. Srinivasan.
Nearly 200 aftershocks, some measuring more than 6.0 in strength, have been felt in the archipelago since the Dec. 26 earthquake.
"People suspect major below-the-earth changes will affect the islands. They don't think it is safe to be here anymore. But I think a lot of people are rushing to conclusions in sheer panic," said Ashim Poddar, editor of the Port Blair-based newspaper Daily Telegram.
http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050120-124513-8621r.htm