Five Days Later, Rescuers Find a Sole Survivor

Rescuers pulled another .......1......... from the ruins on Wednesday as a vast domestic and international operation sought to help hundreds of thousands of people left ....2........, hungry and homeless by the earthquake that struck western India on Friday.

Just as hope of finding anyone else alive seemed to have disappeared, an Indian rescue team freed Jyotsnabhen Gandhi from the ruins of a four-story apartment building, where the 55-year-old woman had been trapped for five days.

“It’s a miracle that she is ....3...,” said K. Kailashnathan, the commissioner of the commercial capital of the state of Gujarat. But the grim reality remained that .......4....... were making their last rounds with .......5.......... and other equipment before heading home.

Estimates of the ........6........ from the quake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale, have gone as high as 100,000, although state officials said Wednesday that the confirmed toll so far was 12,000.

Demolition .....7.... using dynamite began clearing away the shells of buildings and homes. In Ahmadabad, engineers wearing motorcycle helmets broke up slabs of concrete with sledge-hammers and crowbars. Clouds of dust rose into the air as bulldozers moved into the ....8...... “In most places we’ve used a small quantity of plastic .......9..... to pull down the more dangerously balanced parts. It’s a delicate operation which needs very careful handling,” said Colonel Rajat Raftogi of the Indian Army engineering corps.

The international response to India’s worst quake in 50 years has been swift and comprehensive. But .......10....... said they were having difficulty handling the volume of traffic.

Patrick Fuller, information delegate for the International Federation of the Red Cross, said five planes a day were arriving at the airport in the district of Bhuj.

“It takes a long time to clear stuff through the airport, as there is no .......11......... and we do not have enough ........12.. to simply shift everything by hand,” he said. “At the moment there is a lot of mess and confusion, and it will take a at least a couple of days to get things together.”

Fear of .......13........ was growing. In the village of Lodai, near the quake’s epicenter, a local doctor said some people had already fallen sick, including four children under three, probably from drinking .....14........ water. “I think it is inevitable in a situation like this when there is no running water,” Mr. Fuller said. ” You have kids playing in the rubble; the car-casses of animals and dead bodies are around.” Conditions were grim for the 800 survivors living in tents in the ravaged city of Bhuj. Though food and drink were available, no ........15........ had been set up.

“We haven’t had a chance to think about the future,” said Bharpi Thakkar, 42, huddled with her three children and four other families under a tent. “The challenge now is to deal with the present.”

(By B. Bearak,

International Herald Tribune, 2001.)

8 Look through the questions below and share your ideas with your partners:

o What do you think governments should do to prevent natural disasters? What can governments do to diminish the results of disasters and solve the problems they cause for the population on the whole? What is the role of the social welfare system in this issue?

o What can we do as individuals to improve the environmental situation on our planet and help victims of natural disasters and disasters caused by humans?

 

9 Read the information given below on how to behave during an earthquake, discuss the main ideas in groups and devise your own instructions on how to behave during disasters or accidents that might happen: floods, tornados, fires, car accidents, epidemics etc. Choose any disaster suggested and develop your own plan.

 

What should I do during the Earthquake?

Falling objects pose the greatest danger during a major earthquake. In Canada, no house has ever collapsed during an earthquake. However, many types of objects may fall and cause damage or injuries. Of prime concern, therefore, is protection from falling objects such as framed pictures, light fixtures, plaster from ceilings or the upper part of walls, or chimneys which may fall outside or through the roof into the house.

When an earthquake occurs,

· turn away from windows and other glass; windows may break and glass shards can fly great distances;

· take cover under a sturdy desk, table, or door frame to prevent injury from falling debris;

· if you are outside, try to keep to open areas well clear of buildings and power lines;

· if you are driving, pull over and stop your vehicle, preferably in an open area.

After an earthquake, follow emergency radio broadcasts carefully, and restrict your telephone calls to genuine emergencies.

What should I do after a strong earthquake?

Ø Stay calm.

Ø Help the injured, if any.

Ø Speak calmly with family members, especially children about what has just happened, in order to relief stress.

Ø Stay tuned to the radio and follow instructions.

Ø Use the telephone only in an emergency.

Ø Do not enter damaged buildings.

Ø To prevent fire, check the chimneys or have them checked before using the furnace or fireplace. Check all gas pipes.