Minimal damage reported after killer waves sweep region

• The Chennai Container Terminal (CCTL) resumed yard operations late Monday night, December 27.
  
• Berthing of vessels commenced at Chennai at 0:920 hrs (IST), today December 28.
  
• Chennai port management is expected to review the damage situation again today and consider permission for berthing of vessels waiting at anchorage.
  
• Tuiticorin port has also resumed operations.
  Vessels destined for Colombo are slated to sail later today.
  
  

CHENNAI -- Major ports in the Indian sub-continent resumed operations late Monday following tsunamis that devastated south Asia.

No large-scale damage was reported at the Indian ports of Chennai and Tuticorin or at Colombo in Sri Lanka (schedules). In Chennai, three ships collided when one broke loose from its moorings when tidal waves struck the port Sunday.

An estimated 33,000 people died and millions were left homeless two days after a huge earthquake sent walls of water crashing into coastal areas from Thailand to Somalia.

Hyundai Motor Co. resumed loading of cars for exports at Chennai on Monday, the company said.

At Tuticorin, 11 ships were waiting to berth late Monday, said port chairman N.K.Raghupathy. Singapore's PSA Corp., which operates a container terminal at Tuticorin, said its facilities were not damaged.

There were no reports of disruptions from other eastern Indian ports, including Calcutta and Visakhapatnam.

Colombo also resumed operations, but the smaller ports of Galle, Trincomalee, Kankasanturai and Point Pedro will remain shut until damage is assessed and staff returns to work, a statement said.
The navigation unit of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority came to the rescue of the container vessel Jami which collided with the pilot jetty. The vessel was entering the harbor at the time the tsunami hit Sri Lanka, and was moved to a safe location.

By N. Vasuki Rao