Appeal for Indian earthquake victims
Delhi/Geneva, 26 January 2001

The International Federation today launched a preliminary appeal for two million Swiss francs to support an emergency relief operation by the Federation and Indian Red Cross in aid of victims of a powerful earthquake that struck western India earlier today.

It is the worst quake to hit India since 1956 and has left thousands of people in urgent need of emergency assistance and the Federation's appeal aims initially to assist 50,000 victims of the earthquake. The first priority is to provide adequate funds to the Indian Red Cross to enable it to buy urgently-needed relief items, all or most of which can be purchased locally. These include clothes, blankets, basic medical supplies, shelter and construction materials, and provision of clean water and sanitation facilities.

A series of powerful earthquakes struck Gujarat state in western India at 08:50 local time today, peaking at a massive 7.9 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the quake was about 50 kilometres north-east of Bhuj city, one of the most inaccessible parts of western India. The city of Ahmadabad was badly hit, and tremors were felt across several states, in Delhi and Bombay and in the neighbouring country of Pakistan. The death toll is currently estimated at 500 persons, though this figure is expected to increase significantly in the coming hours.

"Our greatest concern is that the crisis is still unfolding. It's a very isolated area and we don't yet have the complete picture; many people may still be trapped," says Patrick Fuller, the Federation's information delegate in India. A government aerial assessment of Bhuj - an old city of 150,000 inhabitants - shows that up to 90% of buildings may be damaged.

An assessment team from the Federation and Indian Red Cross is travelling to the disaster zone to ascertain more clearly the humanitarian needs. This preliminary appeal will be followed by a full appeal once needs assessments have been completed and more detailed information becomes available. Subsequently funds may be required for rehabilitation and reconstruction; replenishment of the Indian Red Cross disaster preparedness stocks; and to enhance and improve the Society's capacity to respond to disaster situations.

The Federation and Indian Red Cross are coordinating with Indian government officials in their response to the emergency. It is anticipated that the role of Indian Red Cross staff and volunteers in the area will involve assisting local authorities in transporting the wounded to local medical facilities, distributing emergency relief supplies and organising blood collection.

In Geneva, the International Federation Secretariat has allocated 200,000 Swiss francs from its disaster fund and has alerted trained Federation teams of international experts in disaster response and a mobile emergency hospital in case they are needed.

This is the most destructive earthquake to hit India since 1956, with deaths, damage and casualties likely to approach or even exceed the country's last major quake in Maharashtra State in 1993.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Delhi: Patrick Fuller, information delegate, tel: +91 981 0099 794 (mobile)

Geneva: Christopher Black, Information Officer, Geneva Tel.: +41 22 730 4377

Duty phone +41 79 416 3881

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.