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| Tuesday, 04 January 2005 |
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India's Assam sounds official quake alert GUWAHATI, India, Monday (AFP) India's Assam state government has sounded an official earthquake alert and urged people to be prepared for disaster, officials said Monday. Spooked by the tsunami Sunday devastation, panic gripped the northeastern state at the weekend after after media across the country picked up an earthquake warning from a US centre. "We are taking the reports very seriously and hence alerting all government agencies, including police, army, the paramilitary, health officials, and fire fighters to be prepared to meet any natural disaster," chief minister Tarun Gogoi told journalists. "There is no need to panic, but then we must all be prepared to face any eventuality so that we are able to minimize the hardship and cope with the situation," Gogoi said after an emergency disaster management meeting Sunday night involving all government heads, besides top police, health, and fire officials. The government also decided to organize a week-long earthquake awareness training campaign starting Saturday across the state of 26 million people. India's national and local media reported a warning from a Center for Earth Observing and Space Research at George Mason University in Virginia on Saturday saying the December 26 killer quake off Sumatra could trigger more tremors northwards towards Assam. The region has registered at least half a dozen moderate tremors in the past two months. The state fire department said Sunday it had set up extra water reservoirs in most big cities and towns. "We are working overtime and trying to put all our resources together to meet a possible crisis," said Assam Fire Organization director J. Mipun. |
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