FACTS ON THE EARTHQUAKE AT A GLANCE

Severity

• One of the worst to have occurred in the country during the last 180 years for which seismological records available.
• First recorded earthquake in 1819 also in Kutch on June 16th.
• Latur earthquake in Maharashtra in 1993 which killed 10,000 people recorded a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale.

Epicentre :  Latitude 23.7 ° : Longitude 70.2 °  - Near Anjar in Kutch District

SIGNIFICANT PAST EARTHQUAKES OVER INDIA AND NEIGHBOURHOOD

Epicentre The point on the surface of the earth below which earthquake has occurred.

Magnitude Measure of the energy released by an earthquake, expressed in Richter Scale

Intensity Measure of how an earthquake is felt.

SEISMOLOGISTS QUANTIFY AN EARTHQUAKE IN DIFFERENT WAYS

WORST AFFECTED AREAS OF GUJARAT

(Immediately after Republic Day Parade at 12 Noon)

• Cabinet Secretary activated Crisis Management Group (CMG) by contacting all the members of the Group including the three Service Chiefs with the request to move men, relief material and equipment to the most affected area-Bhuj. Members were also informed that the Group will meet at 3 PM and by that time they should initiate action.

• Chief secretaries of Rajasthan and Maharashtra were also been informed of the magnitude of the earthquake and requested to send food material and blankets to Gujarat.

• Public Sector Undertakings like Hindusthan Zinc Ltd., Udaipur, IFFCO an KRIBHCO have also been requested to take similar action

• National Disaster Management Control Room activated.

• Prime Minister directed Cabinet Secretary to respond with the overriding urgency and report the steps taken, during the emergency meeting of the Cabinet convened at 5 PM (IST)

• National Crisis Management committee meets at 3 PM, puts in place specific and detailed sectoral initiatives. During telephonic conversation Chief Secretary of Gujarat was offered services of officers of Government of India, specially those who hail from Gujarat cadre.

• Vice Chief of Air staff indicated the runway at Bhuj is under inspection and flights to land there, could only be cleared after inspection is complete.

• Home Minister rushes to Ahmedabad immediately, contacted Chief Secretary and after giving his assessment, instructed to rush medical teams, medicines and other relief material.

• Prime Minister convened emergency cabinet meeting at 5 PM and reviewed initiatives of CMG. The three Service Chiefs, who were present also briefed the Cabinet. PM announced immediate release of Rs. 500 crores.

• On clearance from the Indian Air Force on the suitability of runway at Bhuj to receive light Air crafts, an AN-32 Air craft took off from Palam airport of Delhi at 7PM along with Additional Relief Commissioner with a team of 24 doctors with medical equipment and medicine, engineers of DoT with SAT-Phones and Indian Meteorological Department officials with seismographic equipment. Later, Chief Secretary of Haryana State and officials of Delhi Administration were tasked to collect a large number of blankets and relief  material to be dispatched to Bhuj

Rescue and Relief Measures

26^th January, 2001

• 1500 Paramilitary personnel of BSF,RAF, CRPF, SSB reached Ahmedabad, Bhuj and Jamnagar

• 3000 Army personnel located in and around Bhuj mobilised for relief operations. Facilities of 90 bed hospital at Bhuj which was partly damaged, opened to civilians with facilities

• Petroleum supply resumed from Jamnagar by rail.

• 2 INMARSAT terminals were rushed to site.

• Hot-lines were provided between Ahmedabad and New Delhi

27^th January, 2001

• Six IL76, 18 AN-32, four AVROS, three DORNIERS, 16 helicopters pressed into service.

• Defence Minister and Air Chief visited earthquake affected areas.

• An additional team of 40 doctors from various Delhi Hospitals and PGI- Chandigarh left for Bhuj with medical supplies.

• 1600 paramilitary personnel including doctors, reached Bhuj, Gandhidham, Kandla, Mehsana

• 400 tents sent by road and air by Ministry of Home Affairs.

• 10 doctors from Haryana and 60 doctors from Maharashtra airlifted to Bhuj.

• Another 12 doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi, with medical supplies, air lifted to Bhuj

• Petroleum supply resumed by road.

Relief by 3^rd February, 2001

• Rescue team of over 25,000 personnel deployed.

• 2031 doctors mobilised for relief work.

• Power lines restored to Bhuj and Anjar towns.

• Satellite phones installed.

• About 200.000 blankets dispatched.

• Over 20,000 tents, tarpaulins and shelter material sent.

• Adequate medical equipment and supplies as per the indent of State Government being met.

• Petroleum product supply normal

• Drinking water now available either through restored drinking water scheme or through tankers.

Reconstruction and Major Relief Initiatives

1. $300 million assistance announced by the World Bank (WB)

2. $ 350 million assistance announced by Asian Development Bank (ADB).

3. Business associations like Cll, FICCI and ASSOCHAM decided to adopt large clusters of villages for relief and reconstruction.

4. Major PSUs of the Government of India have also decided to adopt groups of villages for relief and reconstruction.

• Gujarat Government have dedicated Help Lines and control rooms in operation (Help Lines 02712-51900 to 51917)

• Gujarat Bhavan at Delhi opened counter to receive relief materials (Phone 4673661 & 4671881)

• Krishi Control room telephone lines responding round the clock (Phone lines 3389453,3383476, 3385574)

• Krishi Control room (NDM) website http://www.ndmindia.nic.in is being updated regularly. Gujarat Government also providing information through their website http://www.gujaratindia.com.

• Secretary (Agriculture) briefing the media every day wherein the updated situation report is provided.

• Priority relief requirements of State Government being informed regularly to press through press briefing.

• Press carrying all important telephone numbers, help lines etc,

• Counters opened at New Delhi Railway Station at Ajmeri Gate side for receiving relief materials for free transport to Gujarat

• To coordinate Air lifting of men and relief material a dedicated line operated at Air force control area