January 28, 2001 - January 28, 2001

Pictures From Surat Sunday, January 28, 2001

More Images of the tragedy in Surat --------- Images Source Rediff.com

Multi-storeyed buildings have succumbed to severe tremors in Surat; attempts are being made to rescue the people trapped under the collapsed structures

Buildings in Surat have collapsed
like a pack of cards; not too many survivors are expected to be found under the debris.


Open air tempos have been transformed into temporary ambulances in Surat.


Hospitals in Surat are full with the wounded and their families

"There is no drinking water, no food. All houses are destroyed."-Bhuj Residents Sunday, January 28, 2001

Bhuj: "There is no drinking water, no food. All houses are destroyed." said Harjivan Vyas, 37, a factory worker in Bhuj town.

The powerful aftershock that jolted the devastated region early on Sunday morning sent thousands of terrified people scurrying to get away.

In Bhuj district at the quake's epicentre, people fled in cars, jeeps and on foot, carrying their belongings. Many began walking just after the temblor struck.

Buses and trucks were forced to stop before a cracked bridge on a dry river that connects the district with the rest of the state, which is often plagued by drought.

"We have been walking since morning. We are fleeing for our lives," said Vyas.

More Pictures of the tragedy in Ahmedabad Sunday, January 28, 2001

More Images of the tragedy in Ahmedabad -------- Images source Rediff.com

It's too late. A woman dies inside the debris.

Firemen finally reaches to find somebody in the debris but its too late.


Medical assistance set up on an Ahmedabad pavement, to provide prompt attention to victims rescued from the debris.


Death was merciless, extending its cruel hand to family after family on a cold winter morning in Ahmedabad.



Women clutch their chests in grief, after hearing more tragic news from the catastrophe, the worst earthquake to hit the nation in 50 years.


Yet another shattered remanant of the earthquake. Industries Minister Suresh Mehta thinks it will take decades to rebuild Gujarat's economy.


Firemen and civilians removing the debris to look for survivors at Pooja Apartments in Ahmedabad.

Officials fear toll could cross 16,000 Sunday, January 28, 2001

Even as the people are trying to pick up the threads of their shattered life in the earthquake-rocked areas of Gujarat, rumours, fresh tremors and a real quake of moderate intensity horrified them on Sunday morning, while officials maintained that the death toll could cross the 16,000 mark in the state.

At around 0640 hours, wearied people in Ahmedabad and several other places were jolted from their slumber by a quake of 5.9 magnitude on the Richter Scale, the biggest aftershock among the 200-odd Gujarat has suffered since the mega-quake of 7.9 intensity on Republic Day.

Rumours of fresh quakes being 'predicted' had sent them scurrying out to the open spaces yesterday also but Sunday morning's shock was for real. Official sources said the epicentre of the fresh quake was located 50 to 60 km north-east of Bhuj in Kutch district.

Following this fresh quake, the state government cautioned the people not to stay in quake-weakened houses as teams of structural engineers were being sent to certify liveable buildings.

Meanwhile, even as relief work was being speeded up all over the state, officials maintained that the death toll could cross the 16,000 mark as rubble being cleared in Kutch and Ahmedabad, the most affected districts, had begun to show up more and more bodies.

Ahmedabad is in grief as the bodies, each narrating its own story, were being taken to the crematoria but there were few to mourn those who died in Kutch district where nearly one lakh people were still believed to be trapped in debris.

Hospitals were full of patients but lacked enough medicines, staff or equipment. In Ahmedabad's Vadilal Sarabhai hospital, many hospitalised patients had to make way for the newcomers either because of the lack of attention or due to overcrowding. In Bhuj, the problem was even more severe because the civil hospital itself collapsed, burying in its rubble doctors, nurses and patients along with equipment. Tents had been pitched in the quake-ravaged Bhuj for performing operations.

Fresh tremors in Ahmedabad and many parts of the state Sunday, January 28, 2001

After two days since a devastating earthquake struck Gujarat, there were fresh tremors in Ahmedabad and Mumbai today. The fresh tremors were felt in the two cities at 6.40 am (IST). There is still no respite for the thousands of panic-struck, shocked residents who left their homes and poured on to the streets. Most of them had spent the last night braving the winter chill. The magnitude of today's tremors is not known yet.

With every minute, the statistics of those killed in Gujarat is rising higher. At least 11,000 people have died across the state and 33,000 people have been injured. This makes Friday's earthquake one of the worst tragedies in Indian history. Even worse than the Latur quake in Maharashtra.

Kutch district is the worst affected by the devastation wrecked by Friday's earthquake. In Bhuj, the epicentre of the quake, 6,000 people have died. Anjar and Bhachau have each reported 3,000 deaths.

In Ahmedabad, over 500 people are reported to have died, while 350 bodies have been taken out of the rubble of collapsed buildings. Seven hundred people have been injured in the state's commercial capital.

In Morvi taluka about 200 bodies have been found. Jamnagar has reported more than 100 deaths. Nearly 80 bodies were found in Surendranagar. Forty-two people are reported to have died in Surat and 25 bodies have been found in Banaskatha district.

As we are writing this report (9:17 am IST), we are still feeling the tremors every now and then. Its really horrible situation out here.