Is Koyana Dam behind Latur earthquake?

 

Maharashtra’s coastal region is more susceptible to earthquake. But for the first time it was found that Killari and a few villages clustered around the township near Latur – a small township in south-eastern part of the state – too was vulnerable to intense tremor. And on 30 September, 1993 the town suffered the worst earthquake, measuring 8.5 on Richter scale. The epicentre of the tremor was found 300 km away from the actual site near Koyana Dam.

 

It was around 4.00 in the morning when the entire town was immersed in sleep than a powerful creaking sound wakened the people from deep slumber. At first many, those lucky enough to survive the first shock looked around them drowsily rubbing their eyes to find everything shattered. They saw their dreams smithereens into tatter. Many hopelessly tried to escape from collapsing buildings but buried beneath its debris. Houses, bridges and most of the frail and a few sturdy structures too crumbled. A few lucky ones escaped with cracks. The second tremor was more intense. Deep craters ran many yards in the middle of the roads almost dividing it into two at many places. At some places even hot water and sands gushed out from the craters – and permanent ponds developed there.

 

We rushed to the tragic township by a government plane at 6.00 in the morning and reached the place at 7.30. The minister of rural development was leading the spot assessment team. ‘I was under- secretary then in the ministry of agriculture and rural development. As we hovered over Killari, the entire township appeared to be like some historical remains - with broken buildings, caved in roofs interspersed with long and deep craters. Our chopper alighted at a school ground that was relatively little affected and provided flat ground for landing and the collector received us there.

 

The arrival of Chief Minister Sharad Pawar (now the agriculture minister) and the guardian minister of Latur, greatly spurred the confidence of the district officials who were carrying out relief operation. Later, many NGOs and international humanitarian bodies arrived with food, clothes and medicines and coordinated with the government agencies to erect temporary habitations for earthquake affected people. Physical Therapists tried to comfort them make them come out from shocking state.

 

While clearing debris we managed to save a few lucky ones who got trapped under them for over twenty hours!  They were immediately sent to medical tents erected by the Red Cross Society as the hospitals of the town were totally ravaged by the earthquake. The more serious ones were airlifted to a nearby Aurangabad city for further treatments.   

 

The government immediately announced exgratia payments amounting to Rs five lakh to those who lost their kith and kin. It was extremely traumatic to count the dead bodies…