Tuesday, September 6, 2016

North Sentinel Island Andaman Islands

North Sentinel Island Andaman Islands: The Unexplored Island



The North Sentinel Island, infamous for its violent inhabitants, is located in the Bay of Bengal, west of the South Andaman Island’s southern tip. Designated as an exclusion zone by the Government of India, no one is allowed to embark their vessel near the island or attempt to land on the island or even come close to it. About 50-400 indigenous people inhabit the island, which is mostly forested. The Sentinelese people are extremely wild in nature and rejected all attempts made to befriend them in the past. The island is thus full of mystery and one of the last remaining spots on Earth with no interference from the modern human civilization.

Geography

The North Sentinel Island, India, stretches for about 72 km2 and possesses a roughly square outline. Encircling the island is a narrow beach beyond which the land rises about 66 feet. The terrain of the island is slightly undulating, with the elevation between 150 feet and 400 feet at the center. The island is covered by dense forests in most parts with the exception of the beach and uplifted reefs.

People

Little is known about the Sentinelese people due to their aggressive attitude towards outsiders. They probably live in temporary huts or permanent structures in the forest. Narrow, canoe-like boats are known to be used by them. They also use weaponry like harpoons, spears, and arrows. They are known to collect metal parts that wash ashore. The people of the North Sentinel Island appear healthy as observed from aerial footages and distant photography. Thus, it is believed they receive a steady source of food. Their diet could include fish from the sea, fruits and plant parts from the forest, and wild animals for meat.

Outsiders Unwelcome

The Sentinelese people do not welcome any outsiders to their island. In fact, several incidents have exhibited how these islanders can be unforgiving to those who come in their vicinity. In 2006, two fishermen were killed by these people when their boat drifted near the North Sentinel Island, driven by the strong currents at night. Low-flying helicopters have even been attacked by the people of this island. However, it is true, with the plethora of modern weapons possessed by modern man, it is easy to conquer these people and possess their island. However, some places are best left untouched, and so the Indian government has decided to keep this place on Earth untouched and the people here safe. Connection with modern humans might expose these people to diseases for which they have no immunity, killing them in masses. So, the government had designated the island and the waters around it as an exclusion zone.

Thus, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the North Sentinel Island, and its people continue to exist, an enigma to the modern world and one of the last places on Earth yet to be explored by the modern human.

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