Boxing Day 2004.
I was on a ferry heading to Havelock Island in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands when the earthquake struck at 06:30 (01:00 GMT).
Known for its silvery sand and crystal clear blue waters, Radhanagar Beach was recently named Asia’s best beach by Time magazine.
My best friend from college and her family had lived in Port Blair, the capital of the archipelago, for a decade and a half, but this was my first visit to the archipelago, and we arrived on Christmas Eve.
We planned to spend three days in Havelock, and in the morning we packed snacks and sandwiches, gathered the excited kids, and set off to catch the ferry from Phoenix Bay Jetty in Port Blair.
Not wanting to miss anything, I was standing on the front deck looking around when disaster struck.
Just as we left the port, the boat wobbled and suddenly the pier next to where we boarded collapsed and fell into the sea. Beyond that were gazebos and telephone poles.
It was an unusual sight. Dozens of people were standing next to me, staring open-mouthed.
Fortunately, there were no people on the pier at the time, so there were no casualties. The ship was scheduled to depart from there in half an hour, but the travelers had not yet arrived.
