On December 26, a strong underwater earthquake erupted off the coast of Indonesia sending powerful waves against South Asian countries. India and Sri Lanka have been the hardest hit. In Kanya Kumari, in the southernmost state of India Tamil Nadu, Tibetan trader Jampa Dechen described the tsunami to RFA:
Dechen: At 10:30 in the morning the wave hit our area so hard. The waves were so big. Palden Lhamo Khen (may Palden Lhamo a tibetan oracle/deity know). My feet were trembling so hard. Our market place was engulfed with water. So we began to pack our goods. One of the ladies, Achu Tshomo sprinkled some Chaknays (Tibetan holy grains believed to avert harm) and the water receded. We packed our goods and went quickly to our room. We had so much trouble getting an auto rickshaw.
RFA: What are you doing now? Do you think that you will be able to begin selling your goods again?
Dechen: We don’t know anything. Kunchok Khyen (Oh God!) when this wave came it was extremely scary. It was so big. When I got home I was told that my Mom and others had gone to the hospital. I thought that I won’t see them any more. So I began to cry. Others told me that that would come back. But I was scared. I have seen such things in the movies. I have never seen such things in my life. When they finally came back we packed our things and we are now going to a different place. We are going to a place called Nagakoy.
“We will face financial difficulties.”
RFA: How was the business at your place?
Dechen: Usually business is quite good here. But now because of this water I don’t think that we will have any business. Business should be good for another two weeks until Swami Ayapa pays his annual visit. But he will not come this time due to this water. We will face financial difficulties. Nobody comes to this place except the swami.
Although there are Tibetan traders in other parts of Tamil Nadu, they did not appear to evacuate to safety like those in Kanya Kumari. Indian states of Orissa, Kerala, Andhrapradesh have also been hit hard by the waves and about 1,800 people have died. Tamil Nadu had the largest number of victims. This disaster is the biggest since the earthquake disaster in Gujarat in 2001.
Since 1959, about 100,000 Tibetan have fled the Chinese rule of their land. A large proportion of them have become traders and settled in the southernmost eastern coast of India. These traders sell mostly garments and textile and travel all over India to conduct their business. The Tibetan settlements have been created with the support of the government of India.
