Goddess Gangamma is believed to have protected the city when the devastating tsunami hit other coastal cities in December 2024. The tsunami killed 105 people in Andhra Pradesh, but Visakhapatnam was spared any casualties.
Sharing the insight with Deccan Chronicle, Teddu Shankar Rao, representative of the Fishermen Youth Welfare Association, said, “Gangamma saved us without harming a single life. It’s been 20 years today,” revealing the community’s deep faith in the goddess’s protective power.
Former Visakhapatnam MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna participated in this year’s celebrations, which also included special pujas on the beach.
The 2004 tsunami remains a poignant memory for many in the region. It struck unexpectedly at 9:05 pm, sending waves of an average height of 4 m, affecting 301 villages across AP, and leaving significant destruction in its wake.