Scientists have predicted more destruction and calamity in India if it is hit by another tsunami. The reason: India's natural barriers against tsunami have been badly damaged in the 2004 tsunami and it will take more than a decade for them to heal. Scientists in a recent study warned that mangroves, coral reefs, tidal inlets and saline area forests of the country, which act as natural barrier against tsunami, have been so badly damaged that if the country is hit by another tsunami, its impact will be more catastrophic. The study has revealed that 11,600 hectares of mangroves have been damaged in the Andaman islands alone. More than 3,900 hectares of mangroves in Nicobar islands have been completely lost, making things more worse. Andaman and Nicobar Islands have 18 per cent of country's mangroves. Mangroves reduce the impact of tsunami as tidal waves get distributed once they enter mangroves, thus bringing down the impact and also friction created by mangroves, which lessens the flow. "If the Indian coasts are hit by another tsunami, we will witness much bigger calamity than 2004," said a senior official of the ministry. In many of the tsunami-affected areas, it was found that the shorelines have been modified, thus making the areas more unstable and vulnerable as it affects the waves and long-shore transport. The study states, "It was observed that mangroves facing sea have undergone severe destruction. The mangroves have been eroded and trees have been uprooted." It cautions states and the Central machinery to make efforts to not add up to the already crisis-like situation in the tsunami-affected areas. The study has asked to bring down human-related impacts in these areas. The worst affected by the tsunami were Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The study was conducted by Ministry of Environment and Forests and ISR O's Space Applications Centre, on the damages and impact of the tsunami on the major ecosystems. Tsunami has also resulted in increase in the salinity level of water in the effected areas.