"I was running and the sea was behind me, it was terrible. I dare not look back. More petrifying was the land ahead of me, which was breaking up every three feet and water was gushing out like a fountain.
"I thought my end has come. For three hours, with my baby in my hand, I ran towards the jungle from my coastal home in Malacca village.
"To me, Nicobar was the world's best place. But now, I want a home in Andaman. I'll never go back to the sea shore of Nicobar."
That was Ruby Casper, who was airlifted by an Indian Air Force aircraft late on Monday night.
She spoke to rediff.com minutes after her 'missing' father Peter had arrived in Port Blair. Daughter and father had cried profusely on seeing each other.
"Its great to be here amongst so many people. We were marooned and we know how it feels to be in a jungle for the first time. I am okay now," Ruby said.
More than 500 people have taken refuge in a school in School-line area of Port Blair. All of them are afraid of the sea. They are scared to talk about the tides, which were as high as coconut trees.
rediff.com spoke to some people who had been airlifted from Nicobar Island, which was devastated, and brought to Andaman by Indian Air Force aircraft on Monday and Tuesday.
Bilkis Banu: I live in Malacca village on Nicobar Island. Soon after the earthquake, we came out of our homes. I have three daughters but two of them were at my parents' village. After the earthquake, sea waters started coming inland. We got worried and started running as fast as we could.
The waters were just behind us. We reached a jungle, which is a little above sea-level. I must have run for three hours.
Entire day I remained in the jungle worrying about my daughters and parents. That night, thousands took refuge in the jungle. Some were praying, most were crying. Some people were blowing shankh (conch) to drive away their fears. We lived on coconut water and raw bananas.
We had no idea of what happened to our village or the world. Somebody told us that the government would help us get out of the jungle.
Next day, my elder sister came from Moose village. She said that our paralytic father had died. When sea waters engulfed our home, my brother tried to take him to safety but could not swim carrying him along.
Father told him to leave him in the house. My mother was also old. She refused to leave my father alone. My grandmother was too sick to run. All three asked my brother to run for his life.
My sister told me that my native home is demolished and my parents and grandma are buried under the debris.
Another sister of mine named Hamida died because she lost her spectacles and could not see anything. She had a vision problem. But my two daughters survived.
My sister claims that both had taken refuge in a jungle, but I am worried thinking of the future. Till the IAF brings them here, I will be worried.
I was airlifted but government officials are biased and not fair. They help non-tribals first. We were asked to wait for a day. Only we know how we spent that one day and night.
Casper James: I am a tribal from Malacca. More than 300 people have died in my village.
There are 15 villages in Nicobar. They are situated close to the 52km road that runs around the island.
When tsunami waves struck, the coastal areas were simply wiped out. The church of Nicobar, school, government guest house, banks and government office buildings collapsed like a pack of cards.
All the people started running away from the sea, towards the centre of the island. Whoever could not run died.
It is impossible to give an estimate of the toll. We saw dead bodies lying in every nook and corner of the villages. The island has an unbearable foul smell.
There are no people left to be rescued. The rescue work, which is going on now, is only to get the people who were hiding in jungles.
Announcements are being made on the radio that the IAF is airlifting people to Port Blair. People are slowly coming out of the jungles.
I am told that they are unable to find the exit routes from the jungles. They are eating pork but do not have enough water.
My house and all the homes in my village are damaged. The villages of Malacca, Perka, Tamaloo, Lapathy and Kimois have been wiped out.
When I saw my own village I could not think. I have gone completely blank.
Brijit Paul: I am a teacher in Mus village. When the earthquake struck, I came out in the open. But when I saw the surging sea waters, neighbours told me to run. I managed to run and survive because I am young. Most of the people who have died are those who could not run fast enough.
I met one of my neighbours named Hem in the jungle where I had taken shelter. He was on the beach fishing when the monstrous waves struck. He hung on tightly to a rock.
For a few minutes he saw something that was unbelievable. When the earthquake struck, he claims to have seen the sea moving like a 'see-saw'. The water rose so high that, for a few seconds, he could see the rocks below.
Scared, he started running towards the middle of the island, towards the jungle.
I am really scared of the sea now. Very, very scared.
© 2024 Rediff.com -