Net, phones keep expats in touch

Hundreds of expatriates in the UAE hailing from Gujarat have no way of communicating with their loved ones except through e-mail and websites after telephone and fax links were disrupted because of the earthquake.

One websites you can access are samachar.com through which you can access the major Gujarati newspapers such as Gujarat Samachar (www.gujaratsamachar.com) and Sandesh. Other websites to access are Akila.com. and Other websites to access are Gurjari.com. An extremely useful site that lists the name of some of the buildings brought down in the quake in Ahmedabad is available at ahmedabad.com.

Do try Gujarationline.com, Gujaratinri.com and Gujaratmail, Maniben.com and Chitralekha.com The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is engaged with the Indian Red Cross to provide relief (and in the coming days) to rehabilitate the victims of the earthquake that struck Gujarat on yesterday.

The IFRC already has an ongoing drought relief operation in the Bhuj district, which incidentally, is the worst affected by the earthquake. The Federation has been working with the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) branch in Gujarat and Bhuj ever since a cyclone struck the region in 1998.

Patrick Fuller, the regional delegation's Information Delegate is currently in Gujarat and is contactable on his mobile number 9810099794 (this is a roving number). There is also a satellite phone on which you could contact Patrick. The number is 0873/1 761242825/6.

Bob McKerrow, the Head of the Regional Delegation too is present in New Delhi and is contactable on the following landline numbers : 6858671; 6858672 & 6569322. Bob's mobile phone number is : 9810001534.