Red Cross Red Crescent

The earthquake that struck Gujarat in western India on Friday was like being caught in "a grinder that kept on turning," says Mayursidesai, a resident of Ahmadabad. "The whole building kept moving backwards and forwards." Along with his 70-year-old father, his mother and his wife, he just managed to escape by jumping from the balcony. Their apartment building is now leaning at 45 degrees, his furniture spilling out of a gaping hole.

Thousands of people escaped from their buildings as the ground started to shake during the quake, which measured an immense 7.9 on the Richter scale, the worst quake to hit India since 1956.

"I grabbed one of my two children, I rushed down the stairs and just managed to throw my child from the second floor balcony to safety before a huge block of concrete fell on me," says Jan Khala, 27, who lived on the top floor of a four-storey building. While her two children survived unharmed, she was badly injured in the earthquake and friends fear for the life of her husband, who did not escape from the shaking building.

Bhanwar Singh sits outside what used to be his apartment block, a friend treating his wounds. He was hit by a falling slab of concrete while trying to get out of the building and got trapped in the stairwell. An elderly man we approached was just too distraught to talk; stunned by what had happened.

Others were not so lucky. People gather by a huge pile of rubble; once a 10-storey building housing more than 25 families that has collapsed like a pack of cards. Three bodies have been brought out; local people fear that some 60-70 people lie dead inside.

With a rescue effort coordinated by local communities, Indian authorities and the army, the Red Cross in Ahmadabad is concentrating on collecting much-needed blood supplies for the local hospitals. Badi Lal municipal hospital in Ahmadabad is a distressing scene, with wards full of badly-injured people, but the hospital has mobilised all resources to cope with the influx of patients. Many people are being brought in with fractures and broken bones and local surgeons are working hard to operate on them. Dr Naik, head orthopaedic surgeon at Badi Lal, carried out 30 operations yesterday alone.

A blood camp today organised by the local Red Cross hopes to collect at least 300 units of blood. The Red Cross branch in Maharashtra - site of India's last major earthquake in 1993 - is also offering blood. A Red Cross assessment team which flew into Ahmadabad this morning carried 80 units of blood from the Indian Red Cross blood bank in Delhi for immediate use.

The total impact of the earthquake is still not known, but officials report 30,000 people injured, thousands more homeless at least 10,000 dead; a figure expected to increase with thousands more known to be trapped, possibly already dead.

The Federation/Indian Red Cross has sent an assessment team to Ahmadabad and another is on its way to the isolated town of Bhuj, closest to the epicentre of the quake, to ascertain the humanitarian needs. Their evaluation will outline the Red Cross priorities for assistance.

The Red Cross is particularly concerned about Bhuj; state police say 10,000 people are injured. "We believe blood and medical supplies will be desperately needed, particularly intravenous equipment and plates for securing broken bones and fractures," says Alan Bradbury, leading the Red Cross assessment.

The Indian Red Cross has released 30,000 blankets and 150 large tents, which are being airlifted to the disaster zone. The International Federation has placed an order for 22,000 tarpaulins, due for delivery in the coming days.

Contributions are already coming in for the Federation's appeal for two million Swiss francs launched on Friday to provide humanitarian assistance to some 50,000 victims of the disaster. The Federation is urging cash donations, as many of the needed relief supplies can be bought locally.

Medical supplies are expected to be the main priority for relief, along with clothes, blankets, clean water, shelter and sanitation facilities. The Japanese Red Cross is sending a medical team to Gujarat, and the Federation has alerted emergency mobile Red Cross hospitals to be on standby if needed.

The Federation has deployed a team of experts to support the Indian Red Cross relief operation, including health, logistics, telecommunications, water/sanitation and relief.

Related links
India/Gujarat earthquake: Preliminary appeal
More news and reports on Federation operations in India
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