Editing Andaman Islands (section)

===Late 20th Century – 21st century===
====Outside visits====
In April 1998, American photographer John S. Callahan organised the first surfing project in the Andamans, starting from [[Phuket Province|Phuket]] in Thailand with the assistance of Southeast Asia Liveaboards (SEAL), a UK owned dive charter company.{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}} With a crew of international professional surfers, they crossed the Andaman Sea on the yacht ''Crescent'' and cleared formalities in Port Blair. The group proceeded to Little Andaman Island, where they spent ten days surfing several spots for the first time, including Jarawa Point near Hut Bay and the long right reef point at the southwest tip of the island, named Kumari Point. The resulting article in ''Surfer Magazine'', "Quest for Fire" by journalist Sam George, put the Andaman Islands on the surfing map for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surfermag.com/magazine/archivedissues/quest-for-fire |title=Surfer Explores The Andaman Islands |publisher=Surfer Magazine |website=Surfermag.com |date=22 July 2010 |access-date=28 December 2011 |archive-date=19 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819112026/http://www.surfermag.com/magazine/archivedissues/quest-for-fire/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Footage of the waves of the Andaman Islands also appeared in the film ''Thicker than Water'', shot by [[documentary film]]maker [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}} Callahan went on to make several more surfing projects in the Andamans, including a trip to the Nicobar Islands in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}}

In November 2018, [[John Allen Chau]], an American [[missionary]], traveled illegally with the help of local fishermen to the [[North Sentinel Island]] off the Andaman Islands chain group on several occasions, despite a travel ban to the island. He is reported to have been killed.<ref name="cnn.com">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/25/asia/missionary-john-chau-north-sentinel-island-sentinelese/index.html|title=Indian authorities struggle to retrieve US missionary feared killed on remote island|date=25 November 2018|work=CNN|access-date=25 November 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=25 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125131356/https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/25/asia/missionary-john-chau-north-sentinel-island-sentinelese/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite some relaxation introduced earlier in 2018 to the stringent visit permit system for the islands, North Sentinel Island was still highly protected from outside contact. Special permission to allow researchers and anthropologists to visit could be sought.<ref name="3tier 2018 toi">{{Cite news|last1=Jain|first1=Bharti |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/us-national-defied-3-tier-curbs-caution-to-reach-island/articleshow/66758172.cms|title=US National Defied 3-tier Curbs & Caution to Reach Island |date=23 November 2018 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=31 October 2021 |language=en |archive-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126001420/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/us-national-defied-3-tier-curbs-caution-to-reach-island/articleshow/66758172.cms |url-status=live}}</ref> Chau had no special clearance and knew that his visit was illegal.<ref name="3tier 2018 toi"/><ref name="cnn.com"/>

Although a less restrictive system of approval to visit some of the islands now applies, with non-Indian nationals no longer required to obtain pre-approval with a Restricted Area Permit (RAP), foreign visitors must still show their passport at Immigration at Port Blair Airport and Seaport for verification. Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan, or other foreign nationals whose origin is any of these countries, {{em|are}} still required to obtain a RAP to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Similarly, citizens of [[Myanmar]] who wish to visit [[Mayabunder]] or [[Diglipur]] must also apply for a RAP. In these cases, the permits must be pre-approved prior to arrival in Port Blair.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Andaman and Nicobar Police |title=For Foreign Tourists |url=https://police.andaman.gov.in/index.php/en/2013-10-13-13-21-25/foreigners/for-foreign-tourist.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002164810/http://police.andaman.gov.in/index.php/en/2013-10-13-13-21-25/foreigners/for-foreign-tourist.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 October 2018 |website=police.andaman.gov.in |access-date=30 October 2021 |date=29 June 2018 |quote=... no RAP is required by foreigners to visit these islands, till 31.12.2022 }}</ref>

====Natural disasters====
On 26 December 2004, the coast of the Andaman Islands was devastated by a {{convert|10|m|ft|0|adj=mid|-high}} tsunami following the [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake]], which is the longest recorded earthquake, lasting for between 500 and 600 seconds.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Guinness Book of World Records 2014|last=Glenday|first=Craig|publisher=The Jim Pattison Group|year=2013|isbn=978-1-908843-15-9|pages=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec0000unse_r3e7/page/015 015]|url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec0000unse_r3e7/page/015}}</ref> Strong oral tradition in the area warned of the importance of moving inland after a quake and is credited with saving many lives.<ref name="folklore">{{cite news |last1=Bhaumik |first1=Subir |title=Tsunami folklore 'saved islanders' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4181855.stm |access-date=1 June 2024 |agency=BBC News |date=20 January 2005}}</ref> In the aftermath, more than 2,000 people were confirmed dead and more than 4,000 children were orphaned or had lost one parent. At least 40,000 residents were rendered homeless and were moved to relief camps.<ref>{{cite book|title=Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake and Tsunami of December 26, 2004|year=2007|publisher=ASCE, Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering|location=Reston, VA|isbn=9780784409510|url=http://www.asce.org/Product.aspx?id=2147486137&productid=5511|editor1=Strand, Carl|editor2=Masek, John|access-date=12 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024115815/http://www.asce.org/Product.aspx?id=2147486137&productid=5511|archive-date=24 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 11 August 2009, a magnitude 7 earthquake struck near the Andaman Islands, causing a tsunami warning to go into effect. On 30 March 2010, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck near the Andaman Islands.