India Quake Toll at 21,000; Fear of Epidemic Told

L.A. Times Archives

Oct. 2, 1993 12 AM PT

From Times Wire Services

UMARGA, India —

Wailing villagers, hauling roof timbers from shattered homes, burned their dead in mass cremations Friday as the toll in the deadliest earthquake to hit India in more than half a century climbed to more than 20,000.

As officials expressed fears of an epidemic from water contaminated by the decaying bodies, state-owned television reported the death toll at 21,000, adding that the number of casualties in Thursday’s pre-dawn, 6.4 magnitude earthquake could rise to 28,000.

The acting U.S. consul general in Bombay, Thomas Furey, also said the toll had crossed 20,000. “They’re finding more and more death and destruction as the rescue operations go on,” Furey said.

Television reports said nearly 9,000 army soldiers had begun rescue operations in India’s southwest region.

Soldiers in the village of Holi found three babies alive under tons of rubble Friday. “It was a small success, but enough to motivate my boys to dig further,” said Col. Promit Roy, leader of the rescue team.

Rescuers have been frustrated by incessant rain as they claw through rubble looking for the countless people believed to be trapped. Some villages were nearly impossible to reach because recent monsoons had wiped out roads and bridges.

An aftershock early Friday rumbled across the plains and sent rescuers and survivors scurrying into the open in panic.

Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao canceled a visit to the quake area today because of the rains, according to television reports.

In Washington, President Clinton sent a telegram Friday to Rao expressing sorrow over the disaster and ordered $3 million in humanitarian aid be rushed to earthquake victims. He also asked Ray Flynn, the U.S. envoy to the Vatican, to inspect the disaster site and report back.

“The people of the United States are shocked and saddened by the devastating earthquake,” Clinton said.

The Pentagon was loading two U.S. Air Force C-5 Galaxy transports with emergency shelter and medical supplies, the Defense Department said Friday.

The immediate fear in India was an epidemic from water contaminated by the putrefying bodies, said Home Minister Shankarrao Chavan.

“The biggest task is the cremations to prevent the spread of epidemics,” said Pravin Pardeshi, chief administrator of Latur district, near the quake’s epicenter about 280 miles southeast of Bombay.

He said more than 2,000 bodies were cremated Friday morning, nearly 24 hours after the quake.

“The bodies are being burnt at the spot they are found, with the wood from the crushed houses. There are not enough people to carry the bodies to cremation grounds,” said Pandurang Kolge, a resident of the town of Latur.

Sahib Rao Patil, a 20-year-old farmer, was one of only a few survivors in Tarni, a village that had 5,000 residents. He wiped his eyes as he watched the cremation of his father Friday morning. He would be back in the evening with the bodies of his wife, two daughters and two sisters-in-law.

“All my family is gone. Who will I talk to now?” he asked.

How to Help

Here are some of the agencies that are helping victims of the India earthquake. Officials ask that checks specify that the donation is for the Indian relief effort.

* AmeriCares

161 Cherry St.

New Canaan, Conn. 06840

(203) 966-5195

* American Red Cross

P.O. Box 37243

Washington, D.C. 20013

(800) 842-2200

* CARE

151 Ellis St.

Atlanta, Ga. 30303

(800) 521-CARE