A canal built to link this town with Vedaranyam still lies to the west. The Vellayar, a minor branch of the Cauvery River, runs south of the town and discharges into the sea. The town was among the worst hit by the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The 2001 Indian census indicated Velankanni had a population of 10,145. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Citizens there have an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 68%: male literacy is 75%, and female literacy is 64%. 12% of the population is under six years of age.[1]
Velankanni was among the worst hit by the massive 26 December tsunami that was triggered by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The tsunami struck at around 9.30 am on Sunday, when pilgrims from Kerala were inside the church attending the MalayalamMass. The rising water level did not enter the shrine, but the receding waters swept away hundreds of pilgrims who were on the beach.[2]
The shrine's compound, nearby villages, hundreds of shops, homes and pilgrims were washed away into the sea. About 600 pilgrims died.[3] Rescue teams extricated more than 400 bodies from the sand and rocks in the vicinity and large number of unidentified bodies were buried in mass graves.[citation needed]
Annually, 20 million pilgrims flock to the shrine from all over India and abroad,[2] out of which an estimated 3 million people visit the shrine during its annual festival from 29 August to 8 September.[7] The 11-day annual festival concludes with the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary on 8 September.[8]
Transportation
Vailankanni is well connected by road and rail to the rest of the country. The East Coast Road (ECR) that runs from Chennai to Kanyakumari, connects the town to the rest of the country. The nearest operational airports are Tiruchirappalli International Airport, 165 kilometres (103mi) away and Chennai International Airport, 300 kilometres (190mi) away.
Our Lady of Health Higher Secondary School, Our Lady of Health Middle School, Our Lady of Health Elementary School, Infant Jesus Primary School (English Medium) and Christ the King High School Special School for Handicapped and Deaf & Dumb Children are five schools situated in Velankanni town.[13]
↑Plamoottil, Dr. Mathews. Puntius sanctus, a new fish (cypriniformes:
cyprinidae) species from Tamil Nadu, India. Bioscience Research 2020 17(1) P560-567
