Cable TV show saves islanders

THE Friday night slot on the National Geographic channel was a favourite with Abdul Razzak, showing gripping documentaries on natural disasters.

A year later, those programmes would help Razzak save the lives of 1,500 members of the Nicobarese tribe across five sea-facing villages where gigantic waves razed everything in sight on St Stephen’s Day.

There were no ships scheduled to come toward the remote Indian island of Teresa, home to 3,500 people and part of the Andaman and Nicobar chain.