All OK on outer islands |28 December 2004

Despite standing only a couple of metres above sea level the coral atoll homes of holiday resorts and Island Development Corporation (IDC) plantations appear to have escaped largely unscathed from the earthquake-triggered tidal waves that inundated large areas of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

At the Seychelles Marketing Board prawn hatchery on Coetivy production was not affected by the rising waters, though SMB spokesperson Amitesh Banerjee said that emergency measures were put in place and an in–land air evacuation area cleared.
But while SMB's outer island operations were untouched by the tidal waves, the company's Mahé operation suffered significant damage.

Four containers of fruit and vegetables were lost to the rising water at the SMB Agro depot and water surged through the company's warehouses and damaged its cold store. Despite the damage Mr Amietsh stressed he was confident that no shortages would arise as a result.

Manager of IDC run Farquhar, Elvis Stravens, reported that the island's 16 staff had witnessed the rapid rise and fall of the sea surrounding the atoll, but that no damage had been caused by it.

The same story was repeated on Alphonse and on Desroches, from where the resort manager, Klaus Rousseau, said, "we have cleaned up already and it is all alright, thank God."