On January 26, 2001, in the early morning of a winter day, Gujarat state witnessed one of the most catastrophic earthquakes in its history. The earthquake claimed many lives and destroyed property. According to the experts, the earthquake recorded the highest magnitude on the Richter scale, with tremors reaching 6.9 and impacting northern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and western Nepal.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel unveiled the book 'Smritivan: An Unparalleled Apotheosis of Commemoration to the 2001 Victims of the Gujarat Earthquake' in Gandhinagar on January 23, 2024. The book includes the story of Bhujia Dungar's transformation and Gujarat's development trajectory following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake.
Here are five facts about the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, which lasted around 110 seconds.
1) Earthquakes, like natural calamities, are not new to Gujarat. However, the 2001 earthquake's shockwaves extended more than 20 km, affecting every city and town within reach. The highly impacted districts were Bhuj, Jodia, Surat, Surendranagar, Rajkot, and every city in the neighbourhood.
2) More than 25,000 people died due to the massive earthquake. The widespread shockwaves destroyed structures, impacting thousands of lives and many livelihoods. Figures suggested that otherwise, more than 30 million Indians were affected by the calamity in a certain way.
3) The 2001 Gujarat earthquake could have been mitigated with the previous experienced minor earthquakes in the region. However, many ignored them, believing it was just another natural disaster. A similar quake had been experienced in Delhi, but it was ignored.
4) Gujarat and its surrounding region were in bad shape following the earthquake, with buildings destroyed and people killed. For many days, the survivors were left with no food, shelter, or clothing. Following this, the Indian govt requested aid from the United Nations, which provided humanitarian aid and relief food.
5) The 2001 Gujarat Earthquake destroyed numerous lives, their livelihoods, and property. The survivors got stuck under the wreckage and had nothing to eat for days. Furthermore, several survivors lost everything that could provide them with food and shelter. In Gujarat, food was inaccessible due to the massive earthquake, causing several people to die of starvation.
