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Quake Toll May Cross 1000, Says Advani: PTI

Union Home Minister L K Advani today said the death toll in the massive earthquake in Gujarat could be more than 1,000.

"The death figure in the earthquake could be 1,000 or more," he told reporters on his arrival in Ahmedabad from Delhi to take a stock of the situation.

The toll in Ahmedabad has already mounted to 260.

He said Defence Minister George Fernandes was already in Bhuj, another district devastated by the quake.

Advani instructed the authorities in Delhi to rush two more battalions of army for rescue and relief operations -- one each for Ahmedabad and Bhuj.

Earlier, the home minister visited the quake-hit parts of Ahmedabad and also went to hospitals which had received a steady flow of the injured.

Advani said roads between Ahmedabad and Bhuj had developed cracks at many places.

The home minister reviewed arrangements for relief and rescue with Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel.

Patel has alerted the administration in the state to rescue the people trapped in the houses and buildings following the quake.

Patel, who rushed to the police commissioner's office in Ahmedabad after attending the flag-hoisting ceremony in Gandhinagar, told reporters that he has contacted Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and briefed him about the earthquake situation in parts of the state and the ongoing relief measures in the affected areas.

He also informed the PM about deployment of Army, CRPF and RAF personnel to rescue the people trapped in the houses and buildings in Ahmedabad city and Bhuj.

Patel said the administration was all geared up to meet the situation.

He appealed to the people to remain calm and engage themselves in the relief and rescue work and instructed senior government officials for coordination of relief and rescue work in the city.

The chief minister also asked his ministerial colleagues to engage themselves in the rescue and relief operations in their areas.

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EXTERNAL LINKS
The RD Killer Quake of Jan 26, 2001: Technical details
All about earthquakes in India and their impact
India Meteorological Department's earthquake reports
Disaster relief set-up in India
Major earthquakes across the world in recent times
Earthquake News: Web site offering comprehensive news, information and features
Earthquake site map

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