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India
"There
is nothing left between the sky and the
earth….Everything has been demolished ."
Dawood
Ismail, earthquake survivor, Gujarat, India.
O n
Friday, January 26, 2001, an earthquake
registering 7.5 on the Richter Scale smashed
into the western region of India. The
earthquake's epicenter was located near Bhuj, a
town with a population of 150,000 located in the
heavily populated western state of Gujarat near
the Pakistan border. The quake was felt as far
away as Bangladesh, a distance of 1,200 miles.
Estimates
for the death toll range as high as 100,000
people. Buildings and infrastructure in many
areas have been completely destroyed. To make
matters worse, even before the earthquake food
was in short supply -- the region is in its
third year of drought.
The
yellow highlight on the map below indicates the
region of India most affected by the earthquake.
The
following link provides contact information for
agencies involved in relief efforts. http://www0.mercurycenter.com/local/center/help012701.htm
Information
on recent developments is found at http://www.worldrelief.org/international2/where_we_work/asia/india.htm
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