case study on gujarat earthquake 2001

Gujarat Earthquake 2001: Case Study

Introduction

Gujarat is a state in the north western part of India. Beneath India, the Indo-Australian and the Eurasian Plate are moving towards each other at about 2cm per year. Both plates are continental, so this is a compressional boundary where both the plates are pushed up to form fold mountains The Himalayas are the most obvious result of this collision. Along with the creation of fold mountains, the movement of the plates creates stress within the rocks. When the stress is suddenly released by rocks slipping past each other, we experience an earthquake.

The epicentre of the Gujarat earthquake was a small town called Bhuj. At 08:46 local time, on Friday 26th January 2001 it was struck by an earthquake that measured 7.9 on the Richter Scale It turned out to be one of the two most deadly earthquakes in the recorded history of India, with almost 20,000 people confirmed as dead, and another 166,000 injured. Add to that a further 600,000 left homeless, almost 350,000 homes destroyed and another 844,000 damaged and it becomes obvious that this was a major humanitarian disaster. The Indian government has calculated that in one way or another, the ‘quake had an effect on 15.9 million people – nearly half the population of India!

The cost of the damage varies depending upon who’s figures you use, but it was between 1.3 billion and 5 billion US dollars. In built up areas modern buildings were shaken but mostly survived. Others, however, including several multistory concrete buildings collapsed. Because only some of the new buildings collapsed, the government suspected that dodgy building methods may have been the cause. Investigations led to a number of builders, architects and engineers being charged with culpable murder and criminal conspiracy.

Before the quake this was a rather dry area often affected by drought. After the quake there were many reports of the water table rising, sometimes to surface level. In a number of places new springs appeared, some with fresh water and others, more surprisingly, with salt water. Some desert rivers, that had been dry for over a century, began to flow again, and there was evidence of liquefaction in many places.

Transport and Communications

Access to the sites of earthquakes is always likely to be restricted by the damage caused by the quake, because ground movements damage roads and railways. Damage to roads affected the transportation of goods to the 40 or so ports along the Gujarat coastline.

Bhuj was no exception and suffered from very limited transport after the earthquake. Even days after the quake, the rescue services had not managed to gain access to all the remote villages that suffered during the earthquake. Roads were cracked, lifted and warped, but most obstructions in built up areas were caused by debris that fell onto roads. Where there was a possibility of survivors under the debris, it was out of the question to just bulldoze the rubble out of the way; it had to be carefully and slowly removed, leaving roads blocked until there was no hope of finding survivors.

Telephone lines were broken, exchanges damaged and power lost to the telephone system. In many remote areas mobile telephones don’t work, so all forms of communication with ‘difficult to reach’ places were out of order. Repairing phone lines took time, and the process wasn’t helped by blocked roads, damaged buildings and the loss of workers killed or injured in the event.

Gujarat was the second most industrialised state in India, with well developed diamond, pharmaceutical, chemical, textile and steel industries. Although most survived the quake with little or no major structural damage, they were disrupted by the destruction of communications, transportation and electricity / gas supplies. Immediately after the quake, industry was losing about 200 million dollars every day.

The huge loss of life also had an impact on industry because many of the dead were workers in local businesses.

” The lives lost would impact the (businesses) as many employees would have been a victim of the tragedy,” the Confederation of Indian Industry said in a statement.

General Services

As with many large earthquakes, services like water, gas, electricity and sewerage provided through a network of underground pipes and cables were damaged when the ground flexed and moved. Broken pipes and cables led to loss of fresh water, sewerage discharges and no power in many areas. At the epicentre, in Bhuj, 95 percent of the town was left uninhabitable, with no water, electricity or shelter.

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Bhuj earthquake of 2001

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• Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur - Effects of Local Geology on damage severity during Bhuj, India Earthquake
• World Institute of Disaster Risk Management Library - The Bhuj Earthquake
• CORE - 2001 Bhuj-Kachchh earthquake: surface faulting and its relation with neotectonics and regional structures, Gujarat, Western India
• NASA - Earth Observatory - Liquefaction Effects from the Bhuj Earthquake
• Indian Academy of Sciences - An eyewitness account of the Bhuj earthquake
• Academia - The 2001 Kutch (Bhuj) earthquake: Coseismic surface features and their significance

Bhuj earthquake of 2001 , massive earthquake that occurred on Jan. 26, 2001, in the Indian state of Gujarat , on the Pakistani border.

The earthquake struck near the town of Bhuj on the morning of India ’s annual Republic Day (celebrating the creation of the Republic of India in 1950), and it was felt throughout much of northwestern India and parts of Pakistan . The moment magnitude of the quake was 7.7 (6.9 on the Richter scale ). In addition to killing more than 20,000 people and injuring more than 150,000 others, the quake left hundreds of thousands homeless and destroyed or damaged more than a million buildings. A large majority of the local crops were ruined as well. Many people were still living in makeshift shelters a year later.

Bhuj Earthquake India 2001 – A Complete Study

Bhuj earthquake india.

Gujarat : Disaster on a day of celebration : 51st Republic Day on January 26, 2001

• 7.9 on the Richter scale.
• 8.46 AM January 26th 2001
• 20,800 dead

Basic Facts

• Earthquake: 8:46am on January 26, 2001
• Epicenter: Near Bhuj in Gujarat, India
• Magnitude: 7.9 on the Richter Scale

Geologic Setting

• Indian Plate Sub ducting beneath Eurasian Plate
• Continental Drift
• Convergent Boundary

Specifics of 2001 Quake

Compression Stress between region’s faults

Depth: 16km

Probable Fault: Kachchh Mainland

Fault Type: Reverse Dip-Slip (Thrust Fault)

The earthquake’s epicentre was 20km from Bhuj. A city with a population of 140,000 in 2001. The city is in the region known as the Kutch region. The effects of the earthquake were also felt on the north side of the Pakistan border, in Pakistan 18 people were killed.

Tectonic systems

The earthquake was caused at the convergent plate boundary between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate boundary. These pushed together and caused the earthquake. However as Bhuj is in an intraplate zone, the earthquake was not expected, this is one of the reasons so many buildings were destroyed – because people did not build to earthquake resistant standards in an area earthquakes were not thought to occur. In addition the Gujarat earthquake is an excellent example of liquefaction, causing buildings to ‘sink’ into the ground which gains a consistency of a liquid due to the frequency of the earthquake.

India : Vulnerability to earthquakes

• 56% of the total area of the Indian Republic is vulnerable to seismic activity .
• 12% of the area comes under Zone V (A&N Islands, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, N.E.States, Uttaranchal)
• 18% area in Zone IV (Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Punjab, Sikkim, Uttaranchal, W. Bengal)
• 26% area in Zone III (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, W. Bengal)
• Gujarat: an advanced state on the west coast of India.
• On 26 January 2001, an earthquake struck the Kutch district of Gujarat at 8.46 am.
• Epicentre 20 km North East of Bhuj, the headquarter of Kutch.
• The Indian Meteorological Department estimated the intensity of the earthquake at 6.9 Richter. According to the US Geological Survey, the intensity of the quake was 7.7 Richter.
• The quake was the worst in India in the last 180 years.

What earthquakes do

• Casualties: loss of life and injury.
• Loss of housing.
• Damage to infrastructure.
• Disruption of transport and communications.
• Breakdown of social order.
• Loss of industrial output.
• Loss of business.
• Disruption of marketing systems.
• The earthquake devastated Kutch. Practically all buildings and structures of Kutch were brought down.
• Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Surendaranagar and Patan were heavily damaged.
• Nearly 19,000 people died. Kutch alone reported more than 17,000 deaths.
• 1.66 lakh people were injured. Most were handicapped for the rest of their lives.
• The dead included 7,065 children (0-14 years) and 9,110 women.
• There were 348 orphans and 826 widows.

Loss classification

Deaths and injuries: demographics and labour markets

Effects on assets and GDP

Effects on fiscal accounts

Financial markets

Disaster loss

• Initial estimate Rs. 200 billion.
• Came down to Rs. 144 billion.
• No inventory of buildings
• Non-engineered buildings
• Land and buildings
• Stocks and flows
• Reconstruction costs (Rs. 106 billion) and loss estimates (Rs. 99 billion) are different
• Public good considerations

Human Impact: Tertiary effects

• Affected 15.9 million people out of 37.8 in the region (in areas such as Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar, Ganhidham, Rapar)
• High demand for food, water, and medical care for survivors
• Humanitarian intervention by groups such as Oxfam: focused on Immediate response and then rehabilitation
• Of survivors, many require persistent medical attention
• Region continues to require assistance long after quake has subsided
• International aid vital to recovery

Social Impacts

• 80% of water and food sources were destroyed.
• The obvious social impacts are that around 20,000 people were killed and near 200,000 were injured.
• However at the same time, looting and violence occurred following the quake, and this affected many people too.
• On the other hand, the earthquake resulted in millions of USD in aid, which has since allowed the Bhuj region to rebuild itself and then grow in a way it wouldn’t have done otherwise.
• The final major social effect was that around 400,000 Indian homes were destroyed resulting in around 2 million people being made homeless immediately following the quake.

Social security and insurance

• Ex gratia payment: death relief and monetary benefits to the injured
• Major and minor injuries
•  Cash doles
• Government insurance fund
• Group insurance schemes
• Claim ratio

Demographics and labour market

• Geographic pattern of ground motion, spatial array of population and properties at risk, and their risk vulnerabilities.
• Low population density was a saving grace.
• Extra fatalities among women
• Effect on dependency ratio
• Farming and textiles

Economic  Impacts

• Total damage estimated at around $7 billion. However $18 billion of aid was invested in the Bhuj area.
• Over 15km of tarmac road networks were completely destroyed.
• In the economic capital of the Gujarat region, Ahmedabad, 58 multi storey buildings were destroyed, these buildings contained many of the businesses which were generating the wealth of the region.
• Many schools were destroyed and the literacy rate of the Gujarat region is now the lowest outside southern India.

Impact on GDP

• Applying ICOR
• Rs. 99 billion – deduct a third as loss of current value added.
• Get GDP loss as Rs. 23 billion
• Adjust for heterogeneous capital, excess capacity, loss Rs. 20 billion.
• Reconstruction efforts.
• Likely to have been Rs. 15 billion.

Fiscal accounts

• Differentiate among different taxes: sales tax, stamp duties and registration fees, motor vehicle tax, electricity duty, entertainment tax, profession tax, state excise and other taxes. Shortfall of Rs. 9 billion of which about Rs. 6 billion unconnected with earthquake.
• Earthquake related other flows.
• Expenditure:Rs. 8 billion on relief. Rs. 87 billion on rehabilitation.

Impact on Revenue Continue Reading

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2001 Bhuj Earthquake, Gujarat: Aftermath & Epicentre

Quick Summary

• The Bhuj Earthquake struck Gujarat on January 26, 2001, killing around 20,000 people, injuring 167,000, and destroying 340,000 buildings.
• The Earthquake severely impacted Gujarat’s Kutch district, damaging infrastructure and buildings, and affecting urban and rural regions, including Pakistan.
• The Bhuj Earthquake 2001 was caused by stress buildup at the convergent boundary between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

Table of Contents

The Bhuj Earthquake, or the Gujarat Earthquake, hit the land of Gujarat and surrounding regions on the morning of 26 January 2001 at 8:46 IST. Regarded as one of the most devastating earthquakes in the History of India, the Bhuj earthquake magnitude was 7.7 and claimed around 13,805 to 20,023 lives, leaving another 167,000 injured and destroying nearly 340,000 buildings.

The epicentre (23.6°N latitude and 69.8°E longitude) was located around 9 km southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch (Kachchh) District or 20 km from Bhuj. The duration of the earthquake was 90 seconds, but the tremendous shocks for 90 seconds were enough to claim thousands of lives and cause property loss of around $1.3 billion . This event led to significant changes in India’s approach to disaster management, emphasizing the importance of earthquake-resistant construction and early warning systems.

Seismic Zone of Bhuj Earthquake

The Indian subcontinent is prone to earthquakes due to the movement of the Indian plate into Asia. As per reports, nearly 58% of India’s land is vulnerable to earthquakes.

• India’s seismic zoning map categorizes the country into four zones: Zone 2, 3, 4, and 5.
• Zone 2 is designated as the Low Damage Risk Zone with the least seismic activity.
• Zone 5, including regions like Bhuj, Kashmir, Western and Central Himalayas, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands, faces the highest seismic activity and is classified as a High Damage Risk Zone.
• Areas with trap or basaltic rock formations are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.

Moreover, Gujarat lies around 300-400 km from the plate boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates.

However, the effects of continuing continental collision along this boundary still govern the current tectonics. The region experienced rifting with a roughly west-east trend during the break of the Gondwana in the Jurassic period.

During the collision with Eurasia, the area underwent shortening involving both reactivation of the original rift faults and the development of new low-angle thrust faults. The related folding caused the formation of ranges in the Central Kutch.

Bhuj Earthquake 2001 Case Study

The Bhuj earthquake of 2001 was one of the most devastating natural disasters in India’s history. The case study on Bhuj earthquake aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the event, its causes, and its impact on the region.

On January 26, 2001, the Indian state of Gujarat was struck by a catastrophic earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.7. The epicenter was near the town of Bhuj, hence the name Bhuj earthquake. The earthquake resulted in the death of more than 20,000 people, injured another 167,000, and caused extensive property damage.

Affected Areas and the Impact of the Bhuj Earthquake

• The epicenter was near Bhuj in the Kutch district, Gujarat, India.
• Tremors were felt throughout Gujarat, impacting both urban and rural regions.
• High-rise buildings in cities like Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar suffered severe damage, with some collapsing entirely.
• Infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and utilities, was significantly affected.
• Villages near the earthquake’s epicenter experienced widespread destruction.
• Many rural areas were largely wiped out due to the intensity of the quake.
• Bhuj, Anjar, and Bhachau, all within the Kutch district, were among the most severely impacted.
• Additionally, the southeastern region of Pakistan also felt the effects of the earthquake.

Causes of the Bhuj Earthquake

• The earthquake occurred at the convergent plate boundary between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate .
• The Indian Plate is moving northwards at a rate of about 5 cm per year and is being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate.
• This subduction process leads to a build-up of stress along fault lines.
• The stress accumulated along the fault was eventually released in the form of the Bhuj earthquake.

Effects of the Bhuj Earthquake

The 2001 Bhuj earthquake wasn’t just a tremor – it was a catastrophe that left a lasting scar on the region. Beyond the immediate collapse of buildings, the earthquake triggered a devastating chain reaction impacting lives, infrastructure, and the very spirit of the affected communities.

Widespread Infrastructure Damage:

• Essential services disrupted: Schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure like roads and bridges were severely damaged or destroyed, hindering access to basic necessities and stalling recovery efforts.
• Loss of utilities: Water supply and electricity lines were heavily compromised, leaving survivors struggling with sanitation and hampered communication.

Environmental Destruction:

• Land transformed: The earthquake caused soil liquefaction and landslides, altering the landscape and rendering some areas uninhabitable.

Socioeconomic Turmoil:

• Livelihoods lost: With businesses and farmlands destroyed, unemployment surged, pushing communities into financial hardship.
• Displacement and resettlement: Many became homeless, living in temporary shelters and facing challenges in rebuilding permanent residences.
• Economic burden: The earthquake inflicted an estimated $7.5 billion in property damage, impacting both the regional and national economies.
• Health crisis: Lack of clean water and proper sanitation in temporary settlements led to a rise in diseases, straining healthcare resources.

Shattered Lives:

• Education disrupted: Schools were forced to shut down, hindering children’s access to education and creating long-term setbacks.
• Mental health impact: Survivors grappled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), experiencing anxiety and depression for extended periods.
• Cultural loss: Historical sites and monuments were not spared, damaging the cultural heritage of the region.

Rescue and Relief Efforts

The 2001 Bhuj earthquake, measuring 7.7 in magnitude, caused more than 13,805 fatalities and damaged approximately 340,000 buildings . In response:

• Immediate Aid: The Indian army then moved in and, with the help of the International Federation of the Red Cross, built a temporary hospital at Bhuj.
• Assistance from Organizations: American Red Cross, CARE International, HelpAge India, Oxfam, WHO, Technisches Hilfswerk, and the Department of International Development provided the necessary relief funds in the time of need.
• Reconstruction: Gujarat’s government developed policies that targeted reconstructing homes, restoring public buildings and revamping the economy. This approach took a communal form of relocating individuals or providing for in-situ reconstruction.
• International Support: Numerous countries, like Australia, the USA, Israel, Japan, and China contributed to relief and rescue aid.

Memorial Sites of Bhuj Earthquake

Remembrance of the tragedy is important in acknowledging those who lost their lives and celebrating survivors’ strengths. Various memorials and museums have been built to remember the tragic natural disaster and all the lives lost. Below is a table describing some of these memorial sites:

Trauma Of 2001 Gujarat Earthquake That Lasts To This Day

• Survivors continue to grapple with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
• The event shattered the sense of security for entire communities, leaving emotional scars that are difficult to heal.
• Around 40% of its homes were demolished.
• Eight schools and two hospitals were severely affected.
• Approximately 4 km of roads were damaged.
• Swaminarayan temple, a revered site in Bhuj, suffered significant damage.
• Historic forts, Prag Mahal and Aina Mahal, were also impacted.
• Across the region, nearly 340,000 buildings were either destroyed or damaged.
• The earthquake obliterated about 60% of food and water supplies.
• Approximately 258,000 houses (90% of the district’s housing stock) were affected
• Even two decades later, areas in Gujarat, including Kutch, Surat, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Rajkot, are still recovering.
• Ruined buildings serve as constant reminders of the disaster.
• The earthquake disrupted local economies and led to declining quality of life.

Gujarat Earthquake 2001 Facts

Here are some key Gujarat earthquake 2001 facts:

• Magnitude and Duration: The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.7, equivalent to 6.9 on the Richter scale. The shaking lasted for over two minutes.
• Aftershocks: There were thousands of aftershocks recorded in the months following the main quake, some of which were of significant magnitude.
• Damage: The earthquake caused extensive property damage. Over 400,000 homes were destroyed, leaving about 600,000 people homeless.
• Response: The response to the earthquake involved massive rescue and rehabilitation efforts from the Indian government, international agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
• Long-term Impact: The earthquake had a significant long-term impact on the region. It led to changes in policies related to disaster management and prompted improvements in building codes and practices.

Earthquake Update & Resources

There haven’t been any reports of major earthquakes in Bhuj, Gujarat, India. Fortunately, reliable sources like the Government of India’s Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) haven’t indicated any significant seismic activity in the region.

How to Stay Informed:

• Government Websites: You can visit the official website of the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), Gujarat: https://isr.gujarat.gov.in/ for the latest earthquake reports specific to Gujarat.
• USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program website provides real-time earthquake information globally: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquakes

It’s always a good practice to be prepared for earthquakes, even if there are no immediate threats. Here are some resources that can help:

• Disaster Management Authority of India: https://ndma.gov.in/
• Ready.gov – Earthquake Preparedness: https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-12/ready_earthquake-information-sheet.pdf

The Bhuj earthquake serves as a sad and serious reminder of the devastating power of natural disasters. Architects design earthquake-resistant structures to minimize damage during seismic events. While no building can be fully earthquake-proof, modern engineering aims to enhance resilience. Today, engineers employ advanced techniques such as base isolation and structural vibration control to reduce earthquake-induced forces and deformations while also strengthening structures. Such innovations ensure that buildings not only withstand quakes but also sustain minimal damage.

Also Read:-

Earthquake in India: An Overview

Nepal Earthquake 2015: An Overview

The Worst Earthquake in History: A Terrifying Look Back

Along with the Bhuj Earthquake , read the related articles by visiting the above links.

To learn more about the geological causes of the earthquake, you can refer to the bhuj earthquake pdf . Additionally, a news video from 26 january 2001 bhuj earthquake video , showcasing the aftermath of the earthquake.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How many died in the bhuj earthquake.

The Bhuj earthquake, which occurred in 2001, resulted in the deaths of more than 20,000 people.

How strong was the Bhuj earthquake?

The Bhuj earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.7, which is equivalent to 6.9 on the Richter scale.

What is the cause of Bhuj earthquake?

The Bhuj earthquake was a natural disaster caused by tectonic activities. It occurred at the convergent plate boundary between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

How long did the earthquake last in Gujarat 2001?

The Gujarat earthquake of 2001 lasted for over two minutes. However, there are also sources that mention the earthquake lasted for around 90 seconds or 110 seconds.

What was the strongest earthquake in India?

The Bhuj earthquake, often called the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, struck on 26 January 2001. Bhuj earthquake magnitude was 7.7, it affected parts of Gujarat, especially Bhuj. The earthquake resulted in approximately 20,000 deaths and left over 167,000 injured.

What is the biggest earthquake in the world?

The world’s strongest earthquake ever recorded occurred in Chile on May 22, 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5 (Mw).

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Gujurat Earthquake 2001

Gujurat earthquake.

An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale.

Friday 26th January 2001 at 08:46 local time.

The earthquake occurred in north-western India. The epicentre was close to the small desert town of Bhuj in the north-western state of Gujarat.

India lies on a collision margin. The Indo-Australian and the Eurasian Plate collide into each other at the rate of around 2cm per year. As neither can subduct (both plates are continental) the land where the two plate meet is forced upwards. Over the last 60 million years this process has formed The Himalayas

As the two continental plates move towards each other pressure builds up. Eventually this pressure is released. This caused the earthquake in India

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Gujarat Earthquake in 2001

Introduction

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The Reconstruction of Bhuj: Reflecting on the Planning Process

• First Online: 06 December 2016

Cite this chapter

• Balakrishnan R. Balachandran 4  

Part of the book series: Disaster Risk Reduction ((DRR))

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The Gujarat earthquake in 2001 was one of the first major natural disasters in India significantly impacting urban areas. Considering this fact, in retrospect it appears that the degree of success achieved in rebuilding the affected towns is quite remarkable. Post-disaster reconstruction situations are often characterized by expedient decision-making leading to the creation of new vulnerabilities instead of taking the opportunity to build resilience. This case study discusses two redeeming aspects of the planned reconstruction carried out in the town of Bhuj, very close to the epicenter of the quake and one of the most affected areas: (1) the role of land use planning and development control regulations at the city level in creating a new regime of resilience in this highly hazard prone city and (2) the role of land pooling in achieving relatively resilient reconstruction in the old city of Bhuj, a very densely built historic fabric. The author, who led the team that prepared the plans at both the city level and in the old city, takes advantage of the intervening years to reflect on the process, on the achievement, as well as on lost opportunities.

The author is an architect and urban planner. During the reconstruction of Bhuj, Mr. B.R. Balachandran held leadership positions in the team of urban planners from Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC), Ahmedabad, who prepared the plans for reconstruction. In the initial phase – preparation of the Development Plan – the author was a joint Team Leader (along with Ms. Shirley Ballaney) and in the latter phase – preparation of Town Planning Schemes – he was the sole Team Leader. Throughout the process, Dr. Bimal Patel, who founded EPC, guided him. The author currently heads Alchemy Urban Systems Pvt. Ltd. an urban planning consultancy that he cofounded with Mrs. Sowmya Balachandran.

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Bhuj, a town of about 250,000 currently (150,000 at the time of the quake), is the headquarters of the district of Kutch (in the state of Gujarat, India), the theater of the maximum destruction in the quake. The epicenter was near Bhuj, by virtue of which, the earthquake is often referred to as the Bhuj earthquake.

The Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC) is a not-for-profit organization based in Ahmedabad, which developed progressive approaches to urban and regional planning during a period starting 1997. Before the earthquake in January 2001, EPC had already carried out a regional planning exercise in Kutch. The EPC team undertook three initiatives other than its consultancy assignment for preparing development plans. These included (i) mapping of the four affected towns in Kutch, funded by US-Asia Environmental Partnership (these maps were used for planning in all four towns); (ii) Initiative for Planned and Participatory Reconstruction funded by the USAID FIRE Project (which contributed to strategic planning for Bhuj); and (iii) a book on the art, architecture, and history of Bhuj authored by Azhar Tyabji.

“Floor space index” – the ratio between total built up area on a plot to the area of the plot and also referred to as floor area ratio (FAR).

The work on tenure issues in Bhachau was spearheaded by an NGO named Unnati Foundation for Development.

Balachandran BR (2006) The reconstruction of Bhuj. In: Demeter K, Erkan E, Güner A (eds) The role of local government in reducing the risk of disasters. World Bank, Washington, DC, http://go.worldbank.org/5k1D5BO8V0

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Balachandran BR (2009) Planning the reconstruction of Bhuj. In: Patel S, Revi A (eds) Recovering from earthquakes – response, reconstruction and impact mitigation in India. Routledge, New Delhi

Balachandran BR (2011) The reconstruction of Bhuj – reflecting on the planning process after a decade at GSDMA conference, Ahmedabad, April 2011, unpublished

Balachandran BR, Patel P (2006) Reconstruction of Bhuj: a case of post-disaster urban planning. ICFAI J Urban Policy 1(1):24–34

Environmental Planning Collaborative (EPC) and Gujarat Urban Development Company Ltd (GUDC) (2001) Report and maps for “Development Plan for Bhuj”, Unpublished

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Balakrishnan R. Balachandran

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Balachandran, B.R. (2017). The Reconstruction of Bhuj: Reflecting on the Planning Process. In: Banba, M., Shaw, R. (eds) Land Use Management in Disaster Risk Reduction. Disaster Risk Reduction. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56442-3_4

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The Gujarat Earthquake: Mitigations Failures and Lessons learnt for Future Strategies

• Katuri, A. K.

Time and again, the Indian subcontinent has been suffering from diverse natural calamities, ranging from droughts to floods, landslides to earthquakes, and cyclones to spells of famines. Recently, in October 1999, a severe cyclone battered the eastern coast of Orissa affecting millions of people, blowing away homes, damaging buildings, destroying crops and wiping out a huge cattle population. The Gujarat earthquake of January 2001 was another monumental disaster that affected more than 15 million people causing colossal loss of life and property estimated at US 1.30 billion, though actual may be much higher. More than 200 international and domestic voluntary agencies promptly rushed aid to the damaged areas at the shake of the quake-2001. In this crucial rescue phase, teams were scattered across affected villages and urban centers, clueless of precise locations and extent of damage. Problems faced during the relief and rehabilitation were- absence of a comprehensive information system (both spatial and attribute), absence of a nodal agency to disseminate information on the type of relief required, absence of high precision remotely sensed data, appropriate for preparation and implementation of long term reconstruction and rehabilitation plan (Development Plan). Repeated disaster assessments by multiple agencies led to wastage of time and resources. All this led to non-coherence amongst the coordinating agencies, and rescue &relief teams. Spatial and attribute damage assessment could have been easier in the presence of comprehensive geographic and demographic information supported by high precision satellite imageries to compare pre and post disaster situation. Disaster management includes pre-disaster preparedness planning, post- disaster damage assessment, search and rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction activities. Unlike other disasters, scientific alerts, forecasts and warnings of impending earthquake still require more attention. Disaster Preparedness Plan for speedy rescue and relief operations needs to be in place with improved information system for post disaster recovery. This paper draws upon the shortfalls faced in the management of Gujarat earthquake; a lesson learnt and presents a comprehensive strategy for Systems networking including the role of space programs in disaster management. The proposed structure is a top down approach for cooperation, emerging from bottom level demand. The missing key elements in the post-disaster situation were - effective information system, high resolution remote sensing data (for effective town planning), operational GIS, with support network from some or all of the governmental agencies. An integrated global communication network for wider dissemination of forecasts, warning and monitoring on a global level and sharing of related knowledge and information can play a vital role in disaster reduction. Needless to say, the local, regional and national disaster communication networks must be fully integrated in the global grid. The proposed structure for disaster management has a National Disaster Mitigation Establishment (NDME) as the apex body under the auspices of the central government, which would be networked across nations to similar other NDMEs. Each NDME would handle the coordination and monitoring of its state units which may be called as State Disaster Management Establishments (SDME). The SDMEs with various district or sub-district level units would collate data. The Network would be supported with field staff at its offices and would liaison with respective higher level DMEs where the lowest unit may be a village / town or cluster of villages. This paper emphasizes the need for comprehensive information system with Spatial Decision Support System (DSS) at three different levels for total disaster management.

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