Sunday, December 26 2004 16:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Nagercoil (TN): More than 500 tourists were stranded on the Vivekananda rock memorial, at Kanyakumari, as there were no boats available to bring them back to the mainland after huge waves struck the area in the aftermath of the tremor this morning (Dec 26, 2004).

Official sources said the tourists had gone by boats to the rock memorial where there is a photo exhibition of Vivekananda on display and a meditation hall. This is the place on a piece of rock, where Vivekananda is said to have meditated.

Large number of tourists visit the rock and spend some time and are conveyed to it by boats.

However, after the huge waves struck, the boats, which had come back, did not operate this morning and thee tourists were stranded.

Efforts were being made to bring the tourists back to the mainland, the sources said.