From the DC's Diary...
On 26th December 2004, at about 9.20 a.m. the District Collector (DC), Kollam received information from the local councilor Shri Basillal that the pattern of tidal waves in the Arabian Sea, at Vadi and Thankassery of Kollam city, was found to be unusual. The District Collector rushed to the spot immediately and was followed by the Superintendent of Police, Kollam, along with other Revenue and Police Officials in no time and assessed the situation personally. As the District Administration was already aware of the fact that a massive earth quake had struck Indonesia and that sea water had entered Chennai city, such unusual movement of sea waves on the Kollam coast has alarmed and prompted the District Administration to issue an immediate warning to the general public, especially to those living at the coastal areas of the district. Accordingly, the District Collector instructed the District Information Officer (DIO) to forewarn the public by communicating the following three points through local TV Channels:

a) Fishermen not to venture into the sea.
b) General Public to move away from the Sea by at least 200 mtrs. distance.
c) To collect and run away from the seacoast with valuables, including motors, fishing nets etc., if possible.

Accordingly, the District Information Officer (DIO) conveyed the message of warning to the local TV Channels with a request to release the news as “Flash News” and also to keep scrolling the warning through out. As a result, by about 11.10 am the local TV Channels have started scrolling the warning on their channels.