Ham Radio were setup immediately to provide emergency communication. Myself, VU3DMP, VU2SBJ, Sri from Manipal, VU2JIX, Prakash and VU2NJN, Somashekar Bhat also from Manipal had made two teams.
GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE
Gujarat, the Earthquake that struck on 26th of Jan 2001 (Republic Day)
The scenario at Gujarat
| The major earthquake on January 26th 2001 left behind
a shattered district - Kutch. The Houses destroyed and
large number of people were lost forever. Over 40,000
People have lost their lives which had been termed to be
the most devastating Earthquake in 50 years. Ham Radio were setup immediately to provide emergency communication. Myself, VU3DMP, VU2SBJ, Sri from Manipal, VU2JIX, Prakash and VU2NJN, Somashekar Bhat also from Manipal had made two teams. |
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| We were arranged by the Bangalore based Hams who were co-ordinating the event by VU2POP (Pratap), VU2JHM (Ajoy) and VU2NTA (Nataraj). The NGO Janpath Citizen had requested for Ham Station network to be established in the affected area. Myself and VU2JIX (Prakash) reached to Ahemedabad where the Janpath Citizen Main office located. Over 200 NGOs of Gujarat like Abhiyan, Janvikas, Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan, Vivekanand Research and Training Institute, Kutch Ecology Foundation, Shree Sangh, Kutch Yuvak Sangh and others had come together under the aegis of Janpath Citizen's initiative to support the voluntary relief efforts in Kutch and other affected districts of Gujarat. Also several foriegn donors have commited funds to support the relief efforts launched by the Janpath Citizen's initiative, There were Swiss Agency for development and cooperation, Teresa De Hommes and Miseror (German Funding Agency), Cordiad (A Dutch support Agency) Action Aid, Oxfarm and many other had given the support. |
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The situation in Kutch. Bhuj has a population of 1.6 lakh and was the gateway to the Rann of Kutch. A 500 year old town is home to Jain business families that control markets in Mumbai. Dominated by Jain, Thakker, Patels and Muslims. This was the epicentre of the Earthquake and this area was in total devastation with almost all the buildings collapsed and major casualties. |
| Anjar has a
population of 55,000 which has the famous samadhis of
Jaisal and Toral, two legendary saints of Kutch. Homes to
Jains Patels, Khojas. This was the another major area
devasted in the earthqauke. Bhachau has a population of Approx 23,000 and is the border post of the princely state of Kutch. Dominated by Jains, Thakkers and Patels. A hilltop fort was damaged by quake. Ahemedabad with its high rise building and major populated area, the damage had largely confined to 171 residential buildings totally or partially collapsed . Other affected areas were Morvi, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Rajkot which also had casualties. |
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| The southern road approach to Kutch - the Indira Bridge- had suffered extensive damage, and was opened to ligh vehicle traffics only. Until then, the only way in and out of Kutch by road was the eastern approach via Radhanpur. Upon Samkhiyali, most structures visible from the road showed some sign of damage, cracks, etc. However after Samkhiyali the situation changed dramatically; no structures were standing at all - all were reduced to rubble. |  |
| In Bhuj, the entire city was devastated and the entire populace living outside, braving the bitter cold. There were no electricity and only four gen-sets were working in town. After shocks and tremors persisted and still continue to bring structures down | |
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Amateur Radio stations were setup and Hams from different parts of the country had already made a large communication network. Gujarat Hams also had already setup Ham Stations. Hams from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mangalore & Manipal. The Ham Station setup in different areas were Ahemedabad, Bhuj, Bachau, Anjar, Samkhyali, Rajkot, Gandhidham and other part of areas. |
| Myself and VU2JIX had setup a station in Janpath office in Ahemedabad where all the relief materials were released from this area to different parts of the affected area. VU2SBJ and VU2NJN were on the way with VU2RCR (Chandra) by car with all the equipements, antenna and batteries. |
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Messages were being passed for wanting of more releif materials like Tents, Blankets, Tarpulins, Medicines, Doctors, Food supplies etc. After two days I had setup a temporary station near Surendranagar where Kutch Mahila Sangh were concentrating on areas. They were identifying areas which did not get relief supplies.VU2SBJ and VU2NJN were in Morbi and coordinated with the Mangalore Lohana Samaj along with Manipal Team of Doctors |
| They later joined Prakash in Ahemedabad and co-ordinated with the NGO's. After almost 7 to 8 days after we were requested to stay for another five days. and we had split into three groups where VU2SBJ stayed in Ahemedabad, Myself and VU2JIX (Prakash) were in Samakhiyali and VU2RCR (Chandru) and VU2NJN (Somashekar Bhat) in Bhuj. They were lots of messages being passed and also individual enquiries of the voluntary workers from different parts of the country were being sent. We also had a good support from Mangalore Hams like VU2HEG (Hegde), VU2RCT (Chandra) and VU2RDQ (Rohit). |  |
| Hams from all the states from their homes also helped to create a good network and inform about the well being of the relatives and families to different parts of the countries. |
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