KOCHI: Panic struck Kochi as aftershocks of a massive earthquake in Indonesia hit the city sending people out of their homes and offices. The aftershocks were felt in Kochi at 2.10 p.m. and lasted for a few seconds.
The Meteorological Department said there was no need to panic as they were just aftershocks. However, people residing in the coastal areas were asked to be a bit more alert as there was a possibility of high tides in the evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth urged the people to be alert in the wake of the aftershocks. According to him, the tahasildars and the village officers at the coastal areas have been asked to contact the district administration. A control room has been opened at the Collectorate and the toll free number is 1077 and land number is 2423513. Soon after the news of tremors spread, the police sent alerts all across the city and the coastal belt.
The many high-rises in the city and some of the houses in the coastal areas were the ones which experienced the aftershocks. The employees at the Spices Board Office at Palarivattom frantically ran out of the building. Similar scenes were seen at Kaloor after people from Muthoot Towers and KSFE building dashed out. The IT offices at Infopark were also evacuated.
“The building seemed to be swaying. People rushed downstairs. Even while rushing down, there seemed to be more tremors,” said Joji Jacob, who was at his office on the 15th floor of a building at Kaloor when the incident happened.
Several employees from many offices in the city reported giddiness, vibrations, flickering of lights and other phenomenon associated with earthquakes. In many buildings, employees rushed to the elevators causing them to get stuck owing to overloading.
In the coastal areas, even single-storeyed buildings seemed to experience the shock for an extended period. The single-storeyed house of Antony Patathara at Malikaparambu in Chellanam is reported to have vibrated for several minutes.
“It was only after the panic attack that we understood how unprepared we are. In fact, we belong to one of those offices which conduct disaster management classes. But when the tremor occurred, everyone was rushing downstairs. It was only after reaching the ground that we noticed that there was no open space except the roads. Even after hours, there was no public statement on the incident which shows serious lapses on the part of our disaster management system,” said P S Sreekantan Thampi, Deputy Director (Publicity), Spices Board of India, one of the buildings in the city which experienced the aftershocks.
However, even after the whole city was in panic, the District Administration failed in alerting other departments concerned.
Panic in High-rises
■ Many high-rises in the city and some of the houses in the coastal areas were the ones which experienced the aftershocks
■ Several employees from many offices in the city
reported giddiness, vibrations, flickering of lights and other phenomenon associated with earth quakes
■ In many buildings, employees rushed to the elevators causing them to get stuck owing to overloading
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