Introduction

An earthquake of magnitude 9.3 on the Richter scale near Sumatra triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean in the early hours of 26 December 2004. The earthquake was felt prominently along the east coast of India, generating waves of up to 10m in height which penetrated inland causing severe damage to life and property in the Coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Islands significantly damaging their economies and infrastructures (Government of Tamil Nadu, 2005).