My name is Vasantha aged 45. My husband’s name is Nedunchezhiyan aged 60 and he is retired. I have three children. My eldest son aged 31, is married and is working as a coolie. He has two children. My second son is an auto driver. He too is married and has two children. My daughter, Gomathi aged 30, is married to Budhanesan aged 42 who is working as a temporary clerk in a government office. My daughter has no children.

On 26th December 2004, I was sick and was lying on the bed after taking an insulin injection. I have very high blood pressure in addition to the diabetics. At that time, people were running out, shouting that the sea was rising. I got up from my bed and took one of my grandsons, Abhinesh who was at my bed side at that time and rushed out. By that time, the water has risen so high that it had taken away my grandson too. I had fallen unconscious and thereafter, I knew nothing about the events that took place. I was taken by the ambulance and was kept with other dead bodies. When I regained my consciousness, I found myself with the dead bodies. I came out to see my sons searching for me among the dead bodies. On seeing me alive, they cried out for joy. We had searched for our grandson Abhinesh and could not find him till today.

My relatives have taken me to a hospital at Tiruvarur and I was treated well over there. I came back again to Nagore. All our house-hold items have been washed away by the sea waters. We were all put up at Nagore Kosa School. We were given food and other essential commodities by Madha Amirthanandhabayi. After we were released from the school, we were given a temporary shelter behind Sivasakthi Mahal, Nagapattinam. We (including my two sons) were all given individual shelters.

Many NGOs have helped us in times of our troubles. AID, in particular, has done a lot of service to the people in this area. There are evening coaching and special classes conducted by AID. There is also an Information Centre here. When we tell our grievances to the staff at the IC, they do the needful immediately by getting in touch with the concerned officials. AID has arranged exclusive women doctors to give medical care for those women who were severely affected by those diseases that concern women. We are grateful to AID.

Vasantha, Melapattinachery, Nagore.