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Canada Offers Aid to Earthquake Victims in India
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien has made an aid offer to India, where the death toll topped 11,000 after Friday's disastrous earthquake.
"I was stunned to see the scale of the destruction and deeply moved by the obvious grief and suffering of those who have lost friends and loved ones," said Chretien in a statement Saturday.
The prime minister said his government is considering how best to help.
Canadian International Co-operation Minister Maria Minna already announced C$1 million (about US$665,000) in emergency aid to earthquake victims on Friday night.
The earthquake, which occurred at 08:46 hours local time, measured 6.9 on the Richter scale with the epicenter located around 20 km northeast of Bhuj in Gujarat, according to India's Seismological Department.
Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel described the town of Bhuj as a "graveyard," saying at least half of the 150,000 local people were feared trapped under the debris.
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