It’s nearly midnight here in Ahmedabad, on January 31st, 2001, but I think I need to put down in writing, some of what I have seen and experienced these past few days very specially yesterday and today.

The earthquake which struck Gujarat on January 26, around 9.00 a.m. will easily go down as the blackest day in our history.  It was Republic Day, the parades were on, people were talking about their Constitutional rights and the fury of the earth, literally brought down the mightiest of buildings.  Whilst Ahmedabad, the city we live in was greatly damaged, with over a thousand lives lost, and more than 125 high-rise buildings coming crashing down, the real tragedy was around the town of Bhuj which was the epicenter of the earthquake and wherein, at least 50,000 lives have been lost.

We responded immediately, both as an organization and in collaboration with several others to this tragedy.  We tried to reach out, to whomsoever we could, among those affected here in Ahmedabad, even providing shelter to a few. Together with about 25 non-government  organizations, leading academic institutions of the city, and several leading citizens, we formed a collusion called the Earthquake Affected Relief and Rehabilitation Service (EARRS).  We began our task immediately, trying to provide people with as much information as possible, linking up with the State Coordination Committee, sending out Needs Assessments Teams, and responding in every way possible; providing food to some, medical help to others, facilitating movement of many etc.

Ever since the earthquake struck, my Jesuit colleague Fr. Victor Moses and our other companions here at SXSSS, GES, with several other volunteers have literally been working round the clock.

Besides, we were also invited to be a part of a  coordinating mechanism convened by the UN agencies which included some major international donors, and a few local NGOs.  In the first meeting, I was the only NGO invited.  Today, we had a bigger meeting with many more representatives from every sector.

The Catholic Relief Services, has set up a base office at our centre to respond effectively with relief and rehabilitation measures.  Yesterday, (30th January) I was invited by the Catholic Relief Services together with Caritas India to fly into the most damaged areas in a light aircraft. I’ve only just returned.

What I saw is still beyond my imagination and comprehension!

As we were flying over the parts most hit by the earthquake, near the town of Bhuj, I could see whole villages absolutely flattened.  Just looking like a pile of debris put there ages ago.  We were flying rather low, and it was obvious that there was no life or movement there.  Most of the people are perhaps, buried alive and the survivors (if any) might have just run away.

When we touched down at Bhuj, it looked like a ghost-town.  The aftermath of the tragedy did give one an eerie feeling.  As we drove through the town, most of the buildings were a heap of rubble, unmoved since January 26th.  A stench hung all over the air, which definitely meant there were still plenty of bodies to be extricated from under the debris.

Bhachau, another little town about 75 kms. from Bhuj, which I visited this morning, is virtually destroyed.  We visited a couple of other villages, met a few of the survivors who are still shocked to speak.  Some of them are still hoping that it is a bad dream from which they will one day awake.  A colleague of mine told me later this afternoon that yesterday, while he was visiting one of the villages, he was flagged down on the road, by a pedestrian.  He stopped and asked this passerby whether he needed a lift.  The man a fairly well to do person, told him that he had just one request…… “When you go to the next town, he told my colleague “Tell the owner, of this particular factory, that my two daughters will not report to work for the next couple of days.”  He then handed my colleague the name of the factory.  My colleague willingly accepted the task.  A few meters after he had left the place, he was told by others in the vehicle that this man was doing this to almost every vehicle, since January 26th.  He had become insane.  His daughters were in fact lying dead in the rubble of his home which was totally destroyed.

The aftermath of the earthquake, has also generated plenty of goodwill.  Volunteers have come in from all over Gujarat and other parts of India to help out, bringing with them plenty of material help.  There are medical teams from Israel and from Medecins Sans Frontieres and also earthquake specialists from Turkey, Switzerland and Japan.  However, the tragedy is that there is a woeful lack of coordination all over.  The most important task is to clear off the debris and to destroy the corpses which are beneath.  But nobody seems to be bothered about that.

The task ahead is going to be a hard and long one.  We will estimate our work in the earthquake affected areas, to last at least three to six months.  We intend getting into major relief and rehabilitation work, in several villages but we can do this only once people have the confidence to come back.  In the meantime, we are trying to get our act together, trying to complete the needs assessment and see how best we can help people, who are alive to rise up from this tragedy.

We need all possible help. All  donations should be made in the name of Gujarat Education Society, and sent by registered post to the undersigned at Newman Hall, PB 4002, Navrangpura Post Office, Ahmedabad - 380009, Gujarat, India.

Our bank account is at GUJARAT EDUCATION SOCIETY, BANK OF BARODA (A/C 21243), University Road Branch, Navrangpura Post Office, Ahmedabad - 380 009.
 
 
 
 

Tele : 7417654
Fax : 7479081 or 7911181
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Email : xavserv@wilnetonline.net
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