Sunday, December 26 2004 16:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Pondicherry: At least 102 people were killed in the Union Territory of Pondicherry when tidal waves swept through coastal villages and adjoining districts, in the aftermath of a tremor this morning, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said.

Talking to reporters at Pondicherry airport before leaving for Karaikal to see the impact of the damage, Rangasamy said Pondicherry accounted for 42 deaths while Karaikal, an enclave of the union territory in Tamil Nadu, sixty.

He described the damage caused by the tidal waves as extensive and devastating.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil is visiting Pondicherry tomorrow (Dec 27, 2004) to make an assessment of the damage caused by the tidal waves, he said.

Government hospital sources in Pondicherry said that thirteen persons including two children were treated in the outpatient wing.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy accompanied by district collector V Candavelou and other officials visited the coastal villages that were ravaged by the tidal waves for more than an hour since 8:30 hrs (IST) today (Dec 26, 2004).

Education Minister K Lakshminarayanan consoled the people in the affected villages. Residents in the coastal pockets were asked to move to safer places.

He said that food packets were being distributed the affected. Lakshminarayanan said that financial assistance would be provided to families that had lost their kith and kin in the tragedy.

A detailed report was being sent to the centre. People in the coastal villages panicked when seawater entered their homes. At one stage, water rose to a height of five feet from the shore, some residents in Veerampattinam said.

AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) secretary and MLA, A Anbalagan wanted assistance to be provided to the affected.