Thursday, January 6 2005 20:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: As Government and industrialists project their cumulative losses beyond a staggering Rs 2,500 crore in this union territory, the first hazy picture of the tsunami devastation in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands stand close to that triggered by the 1999 super-cyclone in Orissa.

Preliminary estimates projected by individual Government departments and the industry suggest a nasty blow of over Rs 800 crore to public and private infrastructure only with defence installation, power supply system, roads, schools and hospitals lying in a shambles.

Tourism, a mainstay of the islands' revenue earnings, has taken a beating with the damage to shipping jetties estimated at Rs 325 crore and earnings from tourist arrivals dipping by Rs 50 crore.

Director of Information, Publicity and Tourism of the Andamans and Nicobar Administration, Kuldeep Gangar, however, is optimistic.

''Tourism is going to be up and picking in just another month. We, in fact, have bookings lined up beginning February 15,'' he said.

On the trade side, loss to small and medium industries, small shops and commercial establishments has been pegged at over Rs 100 crore, Gangar said.

Besides, Rs 15 crore was outstanding from business in Port Blair and other islands in the shape of liquidity, according to President of the Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohammad H Jadwet.