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2001 Gujarat earthquake

Buildings after the earthquake
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UTC time	2001-01-26 03:16:40
ISC event	1763683
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	26 January 2001 (2001-01-26)
Local time	08:46 am IST
Duration	90 seconds
Magnitude	7.6 Mw
Depth	17.4 kilometres (10.8 mi)
Epicenter	23°23′17″N 70°19′34″E / 23.388°N 70.326°E / 23.388; 70.326
Type	Oblique-slip, Intraplate
Areas affected	India, Pakistan
Max. intensity	MMI X (Extreme)
Casualties	20,023 fatalities, 166,951 injuries

The 2001 Gujarat earthquake, also known as the Bhuj earthquake, occurred on 26 January at 08:46 am IST. The epicentre was about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch (Kachchh) District of Gujarat, India.

The intraplate earthquake measured 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale and occurred at 17.4 km (10.8 mi) depth. It had a maximum felt intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The earthquake killed at least 20,023 people (including 19 in southeastern Pakistan), injured another 166,000 and destroyed about 400,000 buildings.

Tectonic setting

Gujarat lies 300–400 km from the plate boundary between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate, but the current tectonics are still governed by the effects of the continuing continental collision along this boundary. During the break-up of Gondwana in the Jurassic, this area was affected by rifting with a roughly west–east trend. During the collision with Eurasia the area has undergone shortening, involving both reactivation of the original rift faults and development of new low-angle thrust faults. The related folding has formed a series of ranges, particularly in central Kutch.

The focal mechanism of most earthquakes is consistent with reverse faulting on reactivated rift faults. The pattern of uplift and subsidence associated with the 1819 Rann of Kutch earthquake is consistent with reactivation of such a fault.

Earthquake

The earthquake was caused by movement on a previously unknown south-dipping fault, trending parallel to the inferred rift structures. No major surface ruptures were associated with the shock, classifying it as a blind thrust earthquake. Lateral spreading was widely reported and strike-slip faulting was observed at Bharodia and Manfara. On the moment magnitude scale, the International Seismological Centre said it measured a magnitude of 7.6, while the United States Geological Survey put it at 7.7.

A finite fault model from the USGS estimated that the earthquake rupture had an area of 90 km (56 mi) x 30 km (19 mi). Slip was mostly concentrated around the northern patches of the rupture, with a maximum slip of 9.695 m (31.81 ft) recorded in the village of Chobari. The full rupture also extended through the cities of Bhuj and Rapar, although slip in these areas was extremely minor.

Impact

The death toll varies greatly, with the United States Geological Survey's PAGER-CAT catalog reporting 20,023 fatalities while earlier estimates had placed the death toll at 125,000. Additionally, 166,836 injuries were recorded, and a total of 28 million people across Gujarat were affected, and 442 villages lost at least 70% of houses. Bhuj, one of the closest cities to the epicenter, was devastated, with 95% of buildings destroyed or uninhabitable after the quake. The quake also destroyed eight schools, two hospitals and 4 km of road in the city, and partly destroyed the Bhuj's historic Swaminarayan temple and historic forts, Prag Mahal and Aina Mahal. The Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) inspected more than 250 heritage buildings in Kutch and Saurashtra and found that about 40% of them either collapsed or were seriously damaged; only 10% were undamaged. Bhuj's district hospital collapsed, killing about 193 people inside.

Over 1.2 million houses in 8,000 villages and 490 towns were damaged or destroyed, as well as 12,000 schools, 2,000 health facilities, many historic buildings and tourist attractions; 400,000 of the damaged homes completely collapsed. Across Bhachau, over 5,000 people died and 9,000 houses were damaged or destroyed. In Chobari, the closest settlement to the epicenter, all 3,200 houses were razed and 648 residents were killed. Adhoi village lost 354 residents, including 25 students at a school. Much of Vondh was also razed and 400 people died there. All 208 houses in the village of Visnagar were also destroyed. In Anjar, over 2,000 people died, including 204 who were killed at a Republic Day parade. There were also 58 deaths in Gandhidham.

In Ahmedabad, 1,021 apartments and 82 houses collapsed, and 752 people were killed. Total property damage was estimated at $7.5 billion. In Kutch, the earthquake destroyed about 60% of food and water supplies and around 258,000 houses, 90% of the district's housing stock. The biggest setback was the total demolition of the Bhuj Civil hospital. The Indian military provided emergency support which was later augmented by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society. A temporary Red Cross hospital remained in Bhuj to provide care while a replacement hospital was built.

There were also 19 deaths in Pakistan. The Badin-Tharparkar area recorded 12 deaths, 115 injuries, 1,989 collapsed homes and 43,643 damaged homes.

Reconstruction

Four months after the earthquake the Gujarat government announced the Gujarat Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Policy. The policy proposed a different approach to urban and rural construction with the estimated cost of rebuilding to be US$1.77 billion.

The main objectives of the policy included repairing, building, and strengthening houses and public buildings. Other objectives included the revival of the economy, health support, and reconstruction of the community and social infrastructure.

Housing

The housing policies focused on the removal of rubble, setting up temporary shelters, full reconstruction of damaged houses, and the retrofitting of undamaged units. The policy established a community-driven housing recovery process. The communities affected by the earthquake were given the option for complete or partial relocation to in-situ reconstruction. The total number of eligible houses to be repaired was 929,682 and the total number of eligible houses to be reconstructed was 213,685. By 2003, 882,896 (94%) houses were repaired and 113,271 (53%) were reconstructed.

City planning

The Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC) was commissioned to provide a new city plan for the city of Bhuj. The plan focused on creating a wider roadway network to provide emergency access to the city. The EPC used land readjustment (LR) in the form of eight town planning schemes. This was implemented by deducting land from private lot sizes to create adequate public land for the widening of roadways. The remaining land was readjusted and given back to the original owners as final plots.

Relief

The Government of Gujarat created four assistance packages worth up to US$1 billion to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the city. These packages assisted about 300,000 families. The government also announced a US$2.5 million package to revive small, medium, and cottage industries. The World Bank and Asian Development Bank also provided loans worth $300 million and $500 million, respectively.

Assistance was offered from many countries and organisations.

International assistance

Country	Relief Offered
Australia	US$550,000
Bangladesh	20,000 tons of rice and a 12-member medical team
Belgium	US$920,000
Canada	US$2 million
China	US$602,000
Greece	US$270,000 in financial aid relief supplies
Israel	150 member emergency aid mission
Italy	US$2.3 million for emergency equipment
Japan	US$3 million in financial aid and US$1,14 million worth of relief supplies and equipments
Kuwait	US$250,000
Netherlands	US$2.5 million through UNICEF
New Zealand	US$200,000 grant
Pakistan	13 tons of relief material such as blankets and food
Syria	Medical and other relief supplies
Taiwan	US$100,000
United Kingdom	£10 million
United States	Relief supplies up to US$5 million
United Arab Emirates  Vietnam  Saudi Arabia	Relief material and supplies
Nepal	Relief materials and financial aid

Memorials

Smritivan, a memorial park and museum dedicated to victims of the earthquake was built on top of Bhujia Hill in Bhuj, Kutch and opened in 2022. Spread over an area of 470 acre, it has more than 13,805 trees, each dedicated to a victim, planted in the garden and 108 small water reservoirs created on the hill.

Veer Balak Smarak in Anjar is memorial dedicated to 185 school children and 20 teachers who died during the earthquake.

In popular culture

• Kai Po Che! is a 2013 Hindi film which depicted the 2001 earthquake effects in Ahmedabad in its plot.

See also

• Earthquake zones of India
• List of earthquakes in 2001
• List of earthquakes in India

References

1. ^ ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2009), Version 9.1, International Seismological Centre, 27 June 2022
2. Gupta, Harsh K., et al. "Bhuj earthquake of 26 January 2001." Journal-Geological Society of India 57.3 (2001): 275–278.
3. "15 years of Gujarat earthquake: A trauma etched in Gujarat's memory". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
4. ^ CRS (11 April 2001). "Earthquake in South Asia – India and Pakistan Affected Update Apr 2001". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
5. ^ "Preliminary Earthquake Report". USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Archived from the original on 20 November 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
6. Sen, Kavita (January 2001). "Economic consequences of the Gujarat earthquake". Academia.
7. Maurya, D. M.; Chowksey, Vikas; Patidar, A. K.; Chamyal, L. S. (2017). "A review and new data on neotectonic evolution of active faults in the Kachchh Basin, Western India: legacy of post-Deccan Trap tectonic inversion". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 445 (1): 237–268. Bibcode:2017GSLSP.445..237M. doi:10.1144/sp445.7. S2CID 132318339.
8. Bodin, P.; Horton, S. (2004). "Source Parameters and Tectonic Implications of Aftershocks of the Mw 7.6 Bhuj Earthquake of 26 January 2001" (PDF). Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 94 (3). Seismological Society of America: 818–827. Bibcode:2004BuSSA..94..818B. doi:10.1785/0120030176. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
9. Li, Q.; Liu, M.; Yang, Y. (2002). "The 01/26/2001 Bhuj, India, Earthquake: Intraplate or Interplate?". In Stein, S.; Freymueller, J.T. (eds.). Plate Boundary Zones. Geodynamics Series. Vol. 30. American Geophysical Union. pp. 255–264. doi:10.1029/gd030p0255. ISBN 978-1-118-67044-6. ISSN 2329-1540.
10. "M7.7 Bhuj " Republic Day " Earthquake, 2001". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2006.
11. ^ ANSS. "M 7.7 – 17 km NW of Bhachāu, India 2001". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
12. "India Earthquake Update #25". ReliefWeb. 23 March 2001. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
13. "Casualties of 2001 Gujarat, India earthquake". Government of India. Archived from the original on 7 August 2001.
14. ^ Pramod K. Mishra (2012). The Kutch Earthquake 2001 (PDF) (Report). National Institute of Disaster Management. ISBN 978-81-8347-000-1. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
15. PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog, Version 2008_06.1, United States Geological Survey, 4 September 2009
16. Walls, Kelvin L.; Mujoo, I. (2002). Gujarat Earthquake, January 2001 – Lessons to be Learnt. New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering 2002 Conference.
17. Save the Children (20 December 2002). "Gujarat earthquake emergency update Dec 2002". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
18. Rabindra, Vasavada; Edmund, Booth (2001). "Effect of the Bhuj, India earthquake of 26 January 2001 on heritage buildings". Beiträge zur Allgemeinen und Vergleichenden Archäologie. 21. ISSN 0170-9518.
19. ^ David Sanderson; Anshu Sharma (January 2007). "Winners and losers of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake" (PDF). Environment & Urbanization. 20. International Institute for Environment and Development: 177–186. doi:10.1177/0956247808089155. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
20. World Bank (2 May 2002). "India: Gujarat earthquake victims to receive more support to rebuild lives". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
21. "Interdisciplinary Observations on The January 2001 Bhuj, Gujarat Earthquake" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
22. "Nearest settlement to the Epicentre of 2001 earthquake: Chobari still bears scars of devastation". The Indian Express. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
23. IDRF (12 June 2003). "India: Gujarat Earthquake 2001 – Visnagar, Gujarat getting new life". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
24. "Anjar remembers its dead children". The Times of India. 26 January 2002. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
25. Eidinger, John M. (2001). Gujarat (Kutch), India, M7.7 Earthquake of January 26, 2001, and Napa M5.2 Earthquake of September 3, 2000. ASCE Publications. ISBN 9780784475065.
26. Childreach (26 January 2001). "India Earthquake Update 26 Jan 2001". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
27. "Earthquake". Government of Sindh. 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
28. ^ Jha, Abhas K. (2010). Safer Homes, Stronger Communities: A Handbook for Reconstructing after Natural Disasters. World Bank Publications. ISBN 9780821382684.
29. Jha, Abhas K. (2010). Safer Homes, Stronger Communities: A Handbook for Reconstructing after Natural Disasters. World Bank Publications. ISBN 9780821382684.
30. ^ Sinha, Anil (2003). "The Gujarat Earthquake 2001" (PDF). Asian Disaster Reduction Center. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
31. ^ Byahut, Sweta (Fall 2014). "Post-Earthquake Reconstruction Planning Using Land Readjustment in Bhuj (India)". Journal of the American Planning Association. 80 (4): 440. doi:10.1080/01944363.2014.989132. S2CID 154043360 – via Academic Search Complete.
32. Byahut, Sweta; Mittal, Jay (2016). "Using Land Readjustment in Rebuilding the Earthquake-Damaged City of Bhuj, India". Journal of Urban Planning and Development. 143: 05016012. doi:10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000354.
33. II-4 インド地震における緊急援助, ODA Bluebook 2002, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
34. Ray, Joydeep (16 April 2004). "Gujarat to set up quake memorial in Bhuj". Business Standard.
35. "Modi to inaugurate first phase of 'Smriti Van' Kutch earthquake memorial in Jan 2019". 20 November 2018.
36. "PM Modi inaugurates Smriti Van Memorial in Kutch – See pics of museum". Zee News. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
37. "PM Modi to inaugurate 'Veer Balak Memorial' in Gujarat. Details here". Hindustan Times. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
38. "અંજારના વીર બાળક સ્મારકની વિશેષતાઓ, પીએમ મોદી કચ્છ પ્રવાસમાં કરશે લોકાર્પિત". ETV Bharat News (in Gujarati). 25 August 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
39. Webdunia. "આજે કચ્છના અંજારમાં 'વીર બાળક સ્મારક'નું વડાપ્રધાન નરેન્દ્ર મોદી લોકાર્પણ કરશે". gujarati.webdunia.com (in Gujarati). Retrieved 5 September 2022.

External links

• M7.7 Bhuj "Republic Day" Earthquake, 2001 – Amateur Seismic Centre
• 26 January 2001 Bhuj earthquake, Gujarat, India – University of Colorado
• Gujarat Earthquake of January 26, 2001 – Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
• Israel Defence Forces relief efforts
• The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.
• ReliefWeb's main page for this event.

• 2001 earthquakes
• 2001 disasters in India
• Earthquakes in Gujarat
• History of Gujarat (1947–present)
• History of Ahmedabad
• History of Kutch
• Earthquakes in India
• January 2001 events in India
• Buried rupture earthquakes
• Bhuj
• Events in Ahmedabad