GECs
‘An Unstoppable Wave’ on Discovery this Christmas
MUMBAI: A year ago on 26 December 2004, one of the most severe natural disasters seen in recent times struck Asia. Tsunami affected several countries including Thailand, Sri Lanka and South India. Now Discovery looks at what caused the tragedy.
It will air Unstoppable Wave on 25 December 2005 at 8 pm with a repeat on 26 December 2005 at the same time.
An international team of 27 scientists spent 17 days at sea exploring the seafloor off the coast of Sumatra. The expedition reveals new geological evidence that the sea floor split from the 9.2 magnitude Great Sumatra earthquake caused the Tsunami. It was not caused by a landslide as had been thought by some.
The special on Discovery takes viewers deep into the abyss. A wave only 20 metres tall but three miles deep travelled at over 500 miles an hour carrying with it sand and rocks. The show uses computer graphics to explain changes in the faultlines that resulted in the raising of the seabed.
The expedition was funded by Discovery US, BBC and ProSieben. Discovery India brand director Raja Balasubramaniam says, “We are proud to provide the resources enabling leading experts to explore scientific phenomenon quickly and accurately while also immersing viewers in a part of the world they have never seen before. We hope that Discovery’s participation in such scientific endeavours will help push science further into the future.”
At a screening this afternoon marine biologist Dr. Baban Ingole who was the only Asian who was part of the expedition says that the expedition is helping scientists to predict the next Tsunami. He lamented that there was no Tsunami warning system last year. He noted that the scientists used an ROV to examine the seabed. He said that for millions of years the plate under the Indian Ocean has been travelling East pushing the Asian Plate which travels West. 200 years ago the edges of these plates locked together and continued to push against each other. Forces continued to bend the upper plate down. Finally the strain became too much.
The entire fault line in the Indian Ocean runs for 1600 miles. Last year only half of it ruptured. Scientists believe that the other half could break at any time. In addition, 500 miles of the US coastline is believed to be under threat from the Cascadia fault line. 500,000 people living betwen Northern California and Vancouver in Canada are at risk, should something happen. The new computer model from this expedition shows that the disaster might be much worse than what agencies have prepared for.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
