Earth tremor in Mannar evokes fears of tsunami

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 January 2005, 13:39 GMT]
An earth tremor in Muthariputhurai village, located 15 km north west of Murungan in Mannar, forced 1800 residents to move to safer areas of Potkerni, Sirukandal and Pariharikandal to spend the night Friday, sources in Mannar said. Offical Sri Lanka Government agencies have not yet acknowledge the incident in Muthariputhurai, sources added.

Vanni parliamentarians survey the area

Although no major damages have been reported, residents said cracks have opened in more than 10 houses in the Muthariputhurai area which is under the control of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Iniyavan, the Political Head of Liberation Tigers for Mannar district said that they had to urgently mobilize the workers to help the residents near the coastal areas to move to safer places in an orderly manner.

Mannar district Government Agent V Viswalingam and Vanni district parliamentarians Selvam Adaikalanathan, Sivanathan Kishor, Sivasakthi Ananthan and Vino Noharathalingam visited the area Saturday morning and talked to the residents on the details of the tremor.

Cracks opening in some of the houses in Muthariputhurai

Sources said that Vavuniya Senior Police Commissioner D J Miskin and other police officials were visiting Muthariputhurai in civil dress but had to leave the area when rumors of armed security forces entering the area aroused tension among the residents.

Fishermen from the area told a meeting convened by the GA that they had noticed unusual changes in the sea Friday compared to calmer waters that prevailed in previous days and many of the fishermen did not venture out into sea fishing Friday.

GA Mr Viswalingam said that he had notified the Government Officials in Colombo to investigate the incident further and publish the details on the tremor.




Anxious residents at Mannar shores