PM announces Rs 500-cr central aid to Gujarat

Vajpayee said non-governmental organisations were doing a “good job” in the affected areas and a lot more needed to be done for the quake victims.

Describing the devastation as “a massive tragedy”, a visibly-moved Vajpayee said that the need of the hour was that everyone should join hands to save the people.

Suggesting that immediate steps be taken to prevent the outbreak of an epidemic, the Prime Minister said as of now there was no such report.

Vajpayee, who made an aerial survey of some of the worst-hit areas, visited a destroyed village, a military hospital and a collapsed apartment building in Bhuj, the most severely-hit town.

As he walked solemnly by, doctors performed an abdominal surgery on a four-year-old child rescued from rubble yesterday.

“I am here to express solidarity with the people. They are not alone in this hour of disaster. There are plans being drafted for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the area.”

Vajpayee also stopped at a collapsed seven-storeyed apartment building where dozens of people were feared dead.