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Thousands flee Bhuj

Kinner Acharya on the Rajkot-Bhuj highway

Thousands of people are still fleeing Bhuj district and are heading towards Rajkot city on Saturday morning, following Friday's earthquake.

A fear psychosis has struck the residents of Bhuj, where thousands are feared dead, and they feel that the earthquake may strike again. Many preferred to sleep on the Rajkot-Bhuj highway, in the chilling cold.

Rescue operations is going on at a slow pace, according to eye-witnesses rushing towards Rajkot city for help.

The fleeing residents said that there was maximum damage at Gandhidham, Bhuj, Anjar and a part of Kandla Port Trust.

Said Kiran Dedia, a businessmen at Kandla who was rushing to Rajkot city, "All buildings which were above three storeys have crashed. And there is no way that people can survive in the debris for long."

People are also transporting patients on handcarts and bicycles.

Many residents in Rajkot preferred to sleep in tents, rather than their flats and open air kitchens have been set up.

Eye-witnesses from Bhuj stated that the air force base was being used for relief operations.

All political parties have given up differences and are working together on rescue operations, besides helping patients at Rajkot civil hospital.

Social workers moved about in autorickshaws, in the city and villages, requesting doctors to come out and treat those injured.

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EXTERNAL LINKS
The RD Killer Quake of Jan 26, 2001: Technical details
All about earthquakes in India and their impact
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Disaster relief set-up in India
Major earthquakes across the world in recent times
A post-quake volunteer's unusual tryst with the departed
Earthquake News: Web site offering comprehensive news, information and features
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The complete coverage of the earthquake

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