Wednesday, December 29 2004 18:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: Amidst devastations caused by the killer Tsunami waves there were some positive indications today (Dec 29, 2004) that the highly endangered aboriginal tribes of Andaman and Nicobar islands may have escaped nature's wrath.

"The Jarwas, Onges and Sentinelese may not have been affected by the killer waves as most of them have been in the Andaman area which has not been much affected," the Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Prof Ram Kapse said in Port Blair.

But he said that there was some concern till now about the Shompens, inhabitants of the Campbell Bay, as there was no information about the affects of Tsunami there.

Prof Kapse said that an 18-member expert committee has been set up to assess the situation and the effect on the aborigines. Only after that the picture would be clear.

The aborigines of Andaman and Nicobar were the most endangered tribes in the world and considered modern world's only link to ancient civilisations.

Meanwhile, a senior official of Anthropological Survey of India (ASI) in Kolkata also said that a group of ASI scientist sailed today for Middle and South Andamans today to ascertain the welfare of Jarwas, one of the six aboriginal tribes who were inhabitants there since the mesolithic period i.e. 2000 years ago.

"Only today the situation seemed a little favourable for our scientists to look out for the Jarwas residing in dense forests in Baratangi and Kadamtala areas in Great Andamans," ASI Keeper L N Soni said.