India Earthquake Update #15

20:30 hrs 5 February, 2001
Current Situation

• Union Defence Minister, George Fernandes, is visiting the earthquake-affected areas in Bhuj.
• The government of Gujarat has set up a new administrative system to monitor quake aftermath.
• Prime Minister Atal calls for an all party meet on the Gujarat earthquake Orissa cyclone victims pitch in to help quake victims of Gujarat.
• In Bhuj 115 of 147 exchanges running, 85,000 out of 100,000 phone lines restored and 6,000 line trunk exchange have been commissioned.
• Some shops in Bhuj have reopened.
• Ahmedabad schools and colleges will not resume as originally scheduled.
• As per available information from State Government of Gujarat, the extent of damage is as under:

EXTENT OF DAMAGE

Population affected: 3.78 crores
Houses Damaged: 2,28,906 Completely - 3,97,615 Partially
Estimated loss of Property: Rs. 13,500 Crores
Damage to Private property: Rs. 6000 Crores
Damage to Public property: Rs. 1000 Crores
Damage to Utilities: Rs. 1000 Crores (Power, water & industry)
Impact on trade & Industry: Rs. 2000 Crores

IMD - Report :

Intense aftershock activity still continuing and there was an aftershock magnitude 5.9 at 0632 hrs on 28th January, 2001, the largest recorded so far.

In view of this, the local people are advised not to enter the damaged/ poorly built buildings, which may suffer further damage in the aftershocks, which are still continuing.

As per the latest report of the IMD earthquake shocks are still continuing on 05.02.2001. 176 after shocks of magnitude 3.0 and above were felt till 0700 hours of 05/02/2001.

During last 24 hours 20 tremors received with magnitude of 3.2 to 4.7

MANAGEMENT

First responses on 26th January 2001 immediately after the noon (Republic Day Parade ended 12 Noon)

Cabinet Secretary activated Crises Management Group (CMG) by personally contacting all the members of the Group including the Service Chief with the request to move men, Relief material & equipment to Bhuj. Members were also informed that Crisis Management Group will meet at 3 pm and within that time they should initiate action.

Chief Secretaries of Rajasthan & Maharashtra were also informed of the magnitude of the earthquake and requested to send food materials and blankets to Gujarat.

PSUs like Hindustan Zinc Ltd, Udaipur, IFFCO & 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.

National Crisis Management committee meets at 3 PM puts in place specific and detailed sectoral initiatives. Chief Secretary Gujarat was offered during the telephonic conversation services of officers of GOI 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 the need to rush medical teams, medicines and other relief material.

Prime Minister convened emergency cabinet meeting at 5PM and reviewed initiatives of CMG. The three Services Chief, who were present also briefed the Cabinet.

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

PUBLIC ACCESS AND INFORMATION SHARING

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.

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

DEFENCE SERVICES

ARMY

22,000 Troops deployed in Bhuj and Ahmedabad

Major equipment deployed

JCB/Dozers - 20, Generators - 29, Water Supply Equipment/tanks- 187, Ambulance - 15

Shelter material - 10,500

Helicopters - 3

Surgeries performed - 10,652, Medical aid given - 13,182

Evacuations (serious patients) - 428, rescued - 253, bodies recovered - 1101

AIR FORCE

6 IL-76, 18AN-32, 4 AVRO, 3 DORNIOR and 16 helicopters pressed into service

232 sorties carrying engineering equipment, shelter material, food ambulance, tentage, rescue teams including sniffer dogs etc

Bulk of the relief material and equipments Air lifted from the various air bases

700 people evacuated

NAVY

30 men team with INMARSAT dispatched

INS Ganga carried relief material for Kandla and Naval ships converted into hospital ships where surgeries were performed

Dry ration from Naval establishments moved to Anjar and Gandhidham

Disaster management and surgical team to Bhuj with medical equipment

One dornier sortier flown from Mumbai to Kandla with 960 ltrs of fresh water.

PARA MILITARY FORCES

26.1.01 - Immediately released for rescue & relief

RAF 4 COYs ( 1 Ahmedabad & 1 Bhuj)
CRPF 1 COY ( Ahmedabad)
BSF 4 COY (Kutch)
SSB 6 COY (3 Bhuj & 3 Jamnagar)

27.1.01

RAF 2 COYs (Bhuj)
BSF 4 COYs (Gandhidham/Bhuj Ahmedabad)
CISF 10 COYs (Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Kandla, Mehsana)

At present - 45 COYs available

RELIEF SUPPLIES

HOME MINISTRY

Tents 750
Dry Food 303 tonnes
Blankets 4000
CISF deployed team of 10 officers under DIG(Fire) at Bhuj with Hydraulic cutters
Specialized rescue equipment with 4 officers & 16 firemen sent to Gujarat from Delhi
CISF established wireless network between Delhi & Kandla, Bhuj. Ahmedabad
CRPF established wireless stations at Adohi, Bimsar, Rapar

FOOD

95,000 MT of free food grains allowed to be diverted by the State from food for work to meet immediate relief
One lakh tonnes of foodgrains - Wheat ( 80,000 tonnes), Rice (20,000 tonnes) allotted
Advance release of 10,000 tonnes of levy sugar to the State
Ready-to-eat food packets weighting over 37 tonnes airlifted
Rs. 5 Crores contributed (FCI2,CWC-2,BIS-1)
Community kitchen & lungar organised by NGOs & Socio-religious organisations running in affected areas

MEDICAL AID

Rs 5.7 crores of medical supplies sent to affected areas
64 Doctors sent from various Delhi hospitals to affected areas
2 Portable X-ray units with specialist sent to Bhuj
Emergency medical supplies to antibiotics, disinfectants, IV fluids, ORS packets and surgical materials sent in adequate quantities
Public health specialist from NICD and NAMP (National Anti Malarial Problem) posted at Ahmedabad
45 beds in Central government hospitals and AIIMS in Delhi earmarked for earth quake victims
500 tonnes of bleaching powder and 110 MT of synthetic pyrethroid arranged and being transported
Mental health experts from NIMHANS and AIIMS inducted at a short notice
Conducted 3 caesarian sections. Performed six amputations
Given blood transfusions to 20 patients
Established bases at Mandavi, Bachau and Anjar with independent teams
Visited and rendered medical assistance in villages adjoining Bhuj, Anjar, Mandavi, Bachau and Gandhidham
Distributed medical supplies to NGOs, Medical supplies shared with army doctors for treating patients
Assessment of public health specialists from Bhuj conveyed to State Government.
Total 376 hospitals functioning out of which 34 are in Kachchh.
606 Specialists doctors from Gujarat and 140 from other State in medical relief work.
2365 medical officers, 590 experts from other countries(including doctors, engineers and administrators etc.) at service.
Total 68,701 injury cases attended and 7814 cases admitted.
31 Primary Health Centres of Kachchh district and 949 primary health centres in other districts providing treatment for minor-injury cases.
Disinfection carried out effectively to prevent water and food contamination.

HEALTH

Regular monitoring of medical arrangements at the Hqrs. And visit of senior officers
Team of Doctors from Government hospitals deployed right from first day alongwith medical equipments and supply
Specialist from NICD & NIMP deputed to prevent outbreak of any possible epidemics.
Another 80 member team consisting of officials and staff left to Bhuj to control any possible epidemic on 4.2.2001
Serious injured patients flown to other places for treatment
Overwhelming response from private hospitals and NGOs.

FINANCE

No cap on ways and means advance to State Governments
Rs. 500 crores financial assistance announced by Prime Minister
Rs. 20 crores sanctioned from PM Relief fund
100% deduction for Income Tax purpose on donations made to chartiable institutions]
100% deduction on donation under PM/CM Relief Fund
relief material exempted from customs/excise duty

RAILWAYS

Damages

CostsTrack: 35 crores
Signal & Tele: 15 crores
Electrical: 7 crores
Misc.: 3 crores
Total 60 crores

Track
Viramgam-Gandhidham Broad Gauge (BG)
Gandhidham-Bhuj (BG)
Viramgam-Okha (BG0
Palanpur-Gandhidham Metre Gauge (MG)
Heavy damage to station buildings, station cabins, residential quarters, bridges in the affected sections
Signalling equipments at 25 stations and Control communications on Viramgram-Gandhidham section damaged

Restoration

BG Track

Rajkot-Okha on 26.1.2001
Viramgram-Samakhiali on 28.1.2001
Wankaner-Navalakhi on 28.1.2001
Samakhiali-Gandhidham on 29.1.2001
Gandhidham-Kukma on 29.1.2001
Kukma-New Bhuj to be made fit by 3rd Feb (F.N.)
MG Track
Palanput-Kidiyanagar on 28.1.2001
Kidiyanagar-Gandhidham on 31st Jan
Telecommunications - Overhead alignment and control communication up to Gandhidham restored.
Signalling-8 stations restored until 30/1/2001 - 13 stations. Block working restored but stations on non-interlocked working - Final restoration at 17 stations dependant on completion of building activities.
Fifteen special trains run for relatives & NGOs to Gujarat.
Twenty special trains run to evacuate from Gujarat and about 40,000 people evacuated.
Wagons loaded with GI sheets, bulldozers and water tank wagons directed for relief work.
Movement of relief material ordered free of cost.
All railway good sheds along the quake hit areas offered for providing shelter for the people rendered homeless.
Three medical relief trains moved Ahmedabad, Udna and Palanpur with a team of doctors and medical equipment for evacuation of injured and medical relief. "Railway Helpline" medical camps set up to assist victims.

ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS

Out of 650 Kms of national highways damaged 100 Kms severely damaged.
Most of the minor/major bridges damaged.
Surajbari bridge damaged - repaired on war-footing and restored.
National Highways made traffic worthy.

TELECOMMUNICATION

Telecommunication disrupted
Number of ExchangesTotal Damaged (alongwith media)147147
Total Lines82,00082,000
Optical Fibre systems Bhuj-Bhachau-Rajkot 140 Mbps (damaged at Bhachau)
OverloadExchanges started choking due to heavy traffic (12 lakh calls/hr)
Estimated cost of damageRs.200 crores

On 26th January 2001

Restoration of 2,000 lines Bhuj Exchange (CDOT-MBM).
Restoration of 2,000 lines Gandhidham Exchange.
Putting through two 34 MBps Microwave systems to Rajkot-Gandhidham-Bhuj.
Installation of Optical fibre end-link (8mbps) at Bhuj.
2 INMARSAT terminals were rushed to site.
Hot-lines were provided from Ahmedabad-New Delhi.
To save Ahmedabad and Rajkot TAX from overloading additional channels were terminated in Local Exchange bypassing above two TAXs.

Restoration

Exchange restored - 68
Free PCOs opened - 72 (INMARSAT 23, Land-line - 49)
Help Lines have been opened at Bhuj, Gandhidham and Kandla).
Hot Lines provided - 43
Optical Fibre links restored - All 13 SDCAs
4 VSATs in closed user group have been provided in Rapar.
2 MCPC VSATs restored.
Transmission systems added for relief - 96 stream of 2 Mbps.
Requirements of State Government and other agencies were fulfilled.
Cellular Mobile Phones Services restored.

POWER

Power Supply to more than 50% of feeders in Kutch area including towns of Bhuj, anjar etc. restored.
DG sets: 17 large sets sent for utilisation of GEB at Bhuj/Anjar.
Manpower: 135 engineers/skilled operative staff positioned to assist at Anjar/Bhuj for restoration of supply.
Team of 8 doctors with para-medical staff sent.
Camp office of NTPC and Powergrid established to coordinate relief and rehabilitation at Anjar.
Powered/NTPC together engaged in repair/recommissioning of 10 GEB major sub-stations.
LT Transmission distribution materials supplied.
Restoration of 220 KV PANANDRO-Anjar Tr. Line on 28.1.2001.
Loan of Rs.100 crores sanctioned by PFC for reconstruction * rehabilitation of transmission and distribution system.
REC sanctioned a loan of Rs.100 crores to GEB.
Under APDP, Kutch district will be adopted and made into a centre of excellence for sub-transmission, distribution and R & M.
Minister of Power accompanied by Addl. Secretary and CMDs of NTPC & Powergrid visited the affected areas for assessment.

SHIPPING & TRANSPORT

Berths No.1 to 5 at Kandla Port have developed major structural damage.
Berths No.6 to 9 are functional.
Port has provided following equipment in Gandhidham:
Escalators31Payloaders61
Cranes36Dumpers376
Forlifts2
Cargo operations on relief vessels is being undertaken
12 cranes dispatched by DG(Shipping) to Kandla to speed up relief work.
Mumbai Port is dispatching 4 fork lift trucks.

RURAL HOUSING

Additional allocation of Rs.250 crores over and above normal allocation for constructing earthquake proof housing for BPL families in rural areas.
Assistance of Rs.22,000 per dwelling unit proposed for the affected districts.
HUDCO and other expert agencies will be consulted with respect to earthquake proof technology.

PETROLEUM

Refineries

Koyali (IOC) - Normal operations continued
Jamnagar (RPL) - Shutdown on 26th Jan. due to power failure

Pipelines

Crude oil pipeline from Salaya, feeding Koyali/Mathura/Panipat refineries, resumed operations since 27th Jan after due checking.

Product pipelines from Vadinar to Kandla & Kandla to Bhatinda under shutdown. Expected to resume operations on 3rd/4th Feb.2001. However, product availability not affected due to alternative arrangements made.

Petroleum supplies

Despatches resumed from Jamnagar by Rail on 26th Jan & by road on 27th Jan.
Despatches resumed from Kandal on 27th Jan. by arranging manpower and DG sets from other locations.
Supplies to Kutch area supplemented from Sabarmati, Rajkot, Sidhpur, etc.
Direct supplies of Kerosene resumed on 28th Jan.
Of 60 Retail Outlets in Kutch, 56 are operating now.
All 13 LPG distributors in Kutch are operating.
Supplies made during 27th to 31st Jan 2001
MS-724 KL, HSD-1727 KL
SKO-754 KL, ATF-122 KL
Sufficient filled trucks kept ready at Kandla for despatch
Sufficient petroleum stocks available in Gujarat.
Rs.40 crores is being contributed by oil PSUs toward PM’s relief fund.
Supply of Diesel and Kerosene from 27th Jan to 1st Feb. 2001
Diesel - 20.45 lakh litres
Kerosene - 8.62 lakh litres
5 villages being adopted by five Navratana oil PSUs
An additional quota of 450 lakh litres of Kerosene allotted.

Utility items provided

3673 Petromax/Lanterns200 Drums
13 water tankers13 Durry
10000 utensils209 Polythene sheets
3538 blankets550 helmets
11500 Litres mineral water1090 mtr. Cloth 65 Tonne
food items
1300 bedsheets
97 wollen jerseys
38 tents 11 trucks of clothes/
740 safety shoesmedicines/grocery/
2300 sockscontainers
2000 plastic containers

CIVIL AVIATION

Airports Authority of India

Satellite based communications restored immediately on 27.1.2001.
Kandla airport activated for helicopter operations on 27.1.2001 and for small aircraft on 28.1.2001.
Airport charges waived off for all relief flights.
Power supply restored through back-up arrangements at Kandla airport.

Air India & Indian Airlines

Transportation facilities extended for relief material from abroad.
Request to all airlines for transportation of relief material from all over the world, particularly points not covered by Air India.
40 additional flights to Bhuj/Ahmedabad/Jamnagar operated during 26-31st January.
6 additional flights daily with total of 972 seats to the affected region planned till 7th February.
Free air transportation of relief materials weighing 1,33,396 kgs till 1st February. Further 76,737 kgs in process.
Free handling facilities to charter flights bringing in relief materials from the State Governments and foreign Governments.

Private/Foreign Airlines

32 civil and military aircraft already landed in India bringing relief materials.

One IL 76 freighter aircraft offered by Turkmenistan Airlines and three B737 freighter aircraft offered by Blue Dart, which have been placed at the disposal of Indian Air force.

Private airlines also operating additional flights to Bhuj and Rajkot and have ferried relief materials.

STATE GOVERNMENTS & UTs

Relief assistance given both in cash & kind from various State Governments.
Food, blankets, medicine, medical personnel, water, tankers and equipments, etc. States are also sent.
CM’s relief fund has received a donation of 2867 lakhs.

Assam : Rs. 5.00 lakh donated from CM’s Relief Fund

Andhra Pradesh : (I) Rs. 5.00 crores donated from CM’s Relief Fund

(II) 4426 woolen blankets and 30.00 tonnes food/other materials worth value of Rs. 62.17 lakhs also donated in kind.

Rajasthan : Donated Rs. 2.5 crores cash, 19,000 blankets,521 tenets, 60 heavy equipments and sent 166 medical and para medical personnel.

Madhya Pradesh : Contributed Rs. 1.37 crores, 18,150 blankets, 1000 Home Guards, 164 doctors, 50 Nurses, 80 Paramedical personnel, 25,000 food packets, 1700 tarpaulins, 70 tents, 618 relief workers and 34 heavy equipments.

Maharashtra : Dispatched 5,000 blankets 5,000 tenet materials 235 doctors and paramedical and Rs.1 crore worth medicine.

Punjab : Donated 41,722 blankets, 1,250 tents, 2 truck loads of medicine and 50 heavy equipments.

J&K : Sent 30,000 blankets.

Haryana : Donated 8 truckloads of blankets. 995 tents and 13000 blankets sent on 04/02/2001.

Goa : Sent 2 trucks of blankets

U.P. : Sent medical personnel, 2 truck load of medicine, 520 tarpauline and 520 tents.

Delhi : Sent 85 tonnes of poles and zinc sheets.

Jharkhand : Donated 30 packets of bandage materials.

Himachal Pradesh : Donated Rs. 51.00 lakh from CM Relief Fund.

EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE

International community responded generously and with alacrity.

38 countries & various international organisations, sent rescue teams including sniffer dogs, relief materials and mobile hospitals.

RECONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR RELIEF INITIATIVES

$300 Million Assistance announced by the World Bank (WB)

$350 Million Assistance announced by Asian Development Bank (ADB)

CII, FICCI and ASSOCHAM decided to adopt large clusters of villages for relief and reconstruction.

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

Gujarat Govt.’s e-mail address (for queries on earthquake): equake@guj.nic.in. Gujarat Government web-site address: www.gujaratindia.com

UN System actions

• UNFPA will support 12 mobile health service units in the affected Talukas of Kutch like Anjar, Bhachau, Rapar, Bhuj town and, also Surendranagar and Banaskata districts. Out of 12 mobile units, 8 will be for Kutch district, 2 for Surendranagar and 2 for Banaskata. Providing mobile health services to the indigent sections, particularly women and children, with provision for counselling will be the priority. The support will be provided to the state government to initiate the services on a priority basis.
  
  
• On selective basis of the worst affected districts, UNFPA, will contribute to repairing and equipping facilities such as SCs, PHCs and FRUs.
  
  
• Existing women’s groups or co-operatives will receive assistance for livelihood activities, combined with social support services.
  
  
• WFP water engineer is in Bhuj for restoration of tube wells.
  
  
• WFP has conducted a preliminary Food Security analysis in the context of drought and maps are available. Food analysis is in progress for the current situation.
  
  
• WFP will be establishing a UN joint logistical cell in Bhuj.
  
  
• UNESCO will field an expert mission to assess the damages caused to heritage properties as also make recommendations for disaster management and disaster prevention, in relation to buildings and heritage properties, covering future eventualities. The mission will be carried out alongwith an expert from the Archaeological Survey of India towards the end of February 2001.
  
  
• As immediate measures ILO will be involved in (1) mobilising mobilise resources, national and international Employers' and Workers' organisations, NGOs, media to address employment and labour related aspects of the disaster; (2) to do assessment of damage and related needs - 200 volunteers from partner organisation SEWA have been deployed in 3 districts of Kutch, Patan and Surendranagar; (3) ILO will be involved in quick impact activities to provide immediate employment to affected population in cleaning up and related work., in helping people take measures to save existing jobs, threatened by loss of complementary assets, raw material, infrastructure, markets and credit and to mitigate adverse impact of the disaster on children and adolescents in terms of child labour, trafficking and prostitution and other undesirable outcomes.
  
  
• The Gujarat Government has endorsed the proposal and even suggested that the UN Joint Cell set up a base camp in Gandhinagar next to their Control Room. IT and Communications experts in Ahemdabad are assessing the feasibility of setting up base next to the Control Room.
  
  
• WFP Advance Logistics Team has arrived to set up logistical cell in Gujarat. The Cell will provide logistical and co-ordination support for the UN System in will assist the Government.
  
  
• WFP programming team is also arriving to co-ordinate the purchase and distribution of approximately 800 mt of food in Gujarat through ICDS and SEWA.
  
  
• 300 mt of high-energy biscuits have been procured and are in the process of being distributed.
  
  
• UNICEF has initiated, the UN System-India’s DEVINFO - a turnkey database providing information by block/taluka in the affected areas in Gujarat. A national UNV specialist who managed the database in Orissa is in Ahemdabad to train colleagues on the database and work alongside the UNICEF database team.
  
  
• As per the assessment of the United Nations Disaster and Co-ordination (UNDAC) team, water & sanitation, temporary shelter, food, family emergency packs and technical assistance have been identified, as the urgent needs. From their assessments on Bhuj, the need is to focus on the vulnerable sections of the population who will require considerable support and assistance in relief and rehabilitation.
  
  
• The UN unit in Bhuj, operating out of tents at the airport, has provided assistance to the International Federation of the Red Cross to fly in food relief and an Israeli team in arranging the setting up of mobile hospitals flown in by the Israeli Government.
  
  
• The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) has provided the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) $10,000 to fund 35 volunteers to work in Gujarat. All these volunteers are from the local communities while several among them lost close relatives and their own homes in the quake. It is planned to scale up the volunteers to 5,000.
  
  
• UNDP is supporting initiatives for women’s empowerment in partnership with two of the leading women’s NGOs of Gujarat - Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in Banaskantha and Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangthan in Kutch. These NGOs are in the forefront of relief operations in the earthquake-effected areas of Gujarat. UNDP has decided to provide immediate financial resources of these NGOs for stepping up relief operations. UNDP funds will be used primarily for housing materials and survival kits for families. UNDP will also support national UN volunteers to assist in relief co-ordination at the grassroots.
  
  
• UN team in Gujarat reports that the task of monitoring incoming relief aid requires to be carefully monitored and quickly processed in order that it reaches the effected population without delay. The intention is to monitor the existing procedures of exiting SAR teams in order to further consolidate their activities whilst in the field of operations, and to support our database.
  
  
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already deployed nine public health experts to Ahmedabad and Bhuj, Kutch district. In co-operation with UNDAC, WHO is conducting a rapid health assessment of affected areas. It is also providing technical advisory capacity to the Government, UN agencies, bilateral agencies and NGOs on public health issues.
  
  
• WHO has provided trauma kits, emergency health kits and other essential medical supplies in the first few days after the earthquake. A special priority of the organisation has been in the area of supporting the re-establishing and rehabilitation of health services in affected areas with particular attention to primary health care.
  
  
• WHO is assisting the government in establishing of disease surveillance in the affected areas including early warning and rapid response to epidemics.
  
  
• UNICEF, UNDMT and UNDAC team discussed in details the current situation such as reports of self-evacuation of effected population, particularly migrant workers; availability of a GIS mapping system which indicates the effected areas in terms of severity of damage.; expectations of the Government. The most important needs include water and sanitation, temporary shelter, family emergency packs, technical advise for reconstruction phase and beyond.
  
  
• UNICEF has committed itself to providing some US$ 8 million, including US$ 2 million for family survival kits and nearly US$ 5 million for medical supplies and the provision of safe water in immediate assistance for the earthquake-stricken Indian state of Gujarat, where the relief effort is now focusing on helping families who survived the quake. Additional UNICEF personnel (Emergency planning, logisticians and communication experts) are being flown in. WHO is also deploying a couple of logisticians and communication experts to Gujarat.
  
  
• UNICEF expects to spend at least $ 2 million for schools and teaching supplies, supporting government efforts to education as a way of helping children cope with the disaster. UNICEF has already delivered $ 100,000 in medical supplies to Gujarat, including critical drugs. An additional $ 600,000 in basic medical supplies is on the way. UNICEF has also delivered tens of thousands of blankets, about a million chlorine tablets for purifying water, and plastic sheeting for temporary shelter.
  
  
• The World Food Programme (WFP) units in Gujarat are already engaged in providing relief to drought-stricken areas. They are now planning to divert some of the resources to help the population affected by the earthquake. WFP grain stocks in Gujarat amount to 1,000 mt. And could be used immediately to feed the affected population upon request of the State Government. Some fortified food from their existing support to the Integrated Child Development Programme (ICDS) in Rajasthan could also be diverted and used to feed the most vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.
  
  
• WFP is officially given charge to airlift relief material on behalf of the UN system and donors who wish to route their relief through UN agencies. WFP operations base will be set up in Ahemdabad and Bhuj each. All necessary clearances from the Government, Army and Airport have been obtained.
  
  
• Over 160 large multipurpose tents and 2400 blankets provided by OCHA will also be airlifted by WFP to the affected areas. These tents are specially designed for such situations and would be very useful for the large number of families sleeping in the open.
  
  
• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has deputed its Regional Programme Co-ordinator stationed in Jaipur, to assess the situation in the most severely affected districts of Ahmedabad and Bhuj. UNFPA has been working in Gujarat to support an Integrated Population and Development Project covering the districts of Sabarkantha, Banaskantha, Dahod, Surendranagar, and Kutch. UNFPA will support 8 mobile health service units to outreach areas in affected talukas -Anjar, Bhachau, Rapar and Bhuj town. The mobile units will further facilitate the organization of medical camps and also act as a sentinel surveillance unit for disease surveillance.
  
  
• UNFPA’s rapid assessment has identified the health sector needs in the State and there is a proposal to revitalize the district health system through a multi-pronged strategy.
  
  
• UNFPA will also help reconstruct and equip strategically located facilities like, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Sub Centres (SCs) and First Referral Units (FRUs) in these villages to provide comprehensive health services.
  
  
• In addition, UNICEF expects to spend a least US$ 2 million for schools and teaching supplies supporting government efforts to focus on education as a way of helping children cope with the disaster. Some US$ 100,000 worth of medical supplies (including critical drugs, surgical equipment and basic medical items) has been delivered to Gujarat. An additional US$ 600,000 worth of medical supplies are on their way. Earlier, UNICEF has already dispatched to the affected areas supplies of 25,000 blankets, 1 million chloroquine tablets, 1,000 bags of bleaching powder, 10,000 survival kits and 50,000 plastic sheets.
  
  
• Over the next two weeks UNICEF will also be working closely with state and national officials to sustain immunisation coverage and provide trauma-counselling training to teachers and others who work closely with children.
  
  
• UNICEF’s family survival kit - produced locally in India - cost about $43 a piece, providing displaced families with critical items such as:

  - cooking utensils
  - blankets
  - clothing (dhoti, saree, lungi, children's garments, etc.)
  - oral re-hydration salts to fight diarrhoea
  - chlorine tablets to purify water
  - soaps, bucket, and other hygiene items
  - candles and kerosene lanterns
  
  

• UNICEF emphasised that Gujarat has suffered from severe drought conditions over the past two years, meaning water supplies are already tight. A drought mitigation and drought-proofing programme that had been prepared the state authorities with the assistance of UNICEF and other agencies in recent weeks will be accelerated as part of the quake relief effort. Safe water and sanitation systems will be essential in the coming days to prevent the spread of disease.
  
  
• UNICEF is presently basing its operations from the UNICEF office in the state capital of Gandhinagar, about 25 miles north of Ahemdabad. About 15 UNICEF staff members and their families are presently sheltering in the office.
  
  
• The International Labour Organisation (ILO) activities are aimed at creating short-term work opportunities in clean up and rebuilding of the infrastructure and housing as well as in protecting particularly vulnerable groups such as young women and children.
  
  
• WFP and SEWA have been jointly operating through its large membership in the worst affected regions of Kutch. They will be focussing on reconstruction and housing and employment creation through the promotion of traditional textile production. It will also support the formulation of public and community-based infrastructure works, which will utilise labour-intensive work methods and other employment-generation schemes.
  
  
• ILO and UNICEF are working together on relief for children and young women. ILO's, emergency allocation for the formulation of this assistance is US$ 10,000.
  
  
• The Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is launching a field mission to the quake affected areas of Gujarat this week to assess the extent and gravity of the loss to the agricultural sector. Led by International Technical Disaster Management Expert, Mr. Peter Schimann, the four-man mission will assess the ground situation and prepare a comprehensive report including a rehabilitation package for agriculture and animal husbandry sectors.
  
  
• The most affected areas reported by UN team in Gujarat include Bachau, Rapar, Bhuj, Kukama (a village 12 km from Bhuj), Anjar (a municipality), Mori (a municipality) and Sukhpar.

Media reports

Gujarat Collapsed buildings of Ahmedabad have no insurance.

The Gujarat government and private relief agencies in the process of preparing plans to rebuild towns and villages in Gujarat. "We have begun discussions with architects, planners and others who will be part of the reconstruction work," Pravin Lahiri, principal secretary to the Chief Minister, said. Lahiri said a plan for reconstructing the destroyed villages and towns would be ready by the end of March.

US-based relief agency CARE is partnering the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to put up temporary shelters in some of the quake-hit areas of Kutch. CARE's India director Tom Alcedo said FICCI and CARE together planned to get schools, primary health centres and community centres functional.

Ashok Rawat of relief organisation Helpage India warned that people hit by the earthquake would have to live in temporary shelters for about two years.

Union Urban Development Minister Jagmohan said the government was keen to start reconstruction as soon as possible.

Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya said the earthquake had destroyed more than 160,000 houses in the state.

"The work of reconstruction will take two years and is estimated to cost at least 80 billion rupees."

The villagers of Gujarat refuse to be defeated. Ten days of sleeping in the open, with food supplies getting exhausted and watching fresh tremors stalk the arid and saline landscape, the 25,000 Kutchies in this tip of the Rann of Kutch, are resolute that they will not succumb.

An estimated half the population of Maharashtra is prone to earthquake as a majority of houses in the State and a ``substantial number of buildings in the metropolis are considered vulnerable to earthquakes because of the material used in their construction and the neglect of zoning regulations.