The 7.9 magnitude earthquake killed as many as 2,000, injured at least 2,000, and left 4,000 missing.

Most of the missing are thought to be buried under rubble, and rescue workers dug frantically with bulldozers, shovels, sticks -- even bare hands -- trying to find them.

"The earthquake is a calamity of national magnitude," said Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who planned a trip to the area to survey damage. "We have decided to meet the emergency on a war footing," he said. "This is the time for people to rally around."

The temblor shook high-rise towers 600 miles away in the capital, New Delhi. The quake could be felt as far as 1,200 miles away in Calcutta and coastal Bangladesh.

The quake struck at 8:46 a.m. as many cities were beginning celebrations for India's 51st Republic Day, which commemorates the adoption of the country's constitution.

In Ahmadabad, Gujarat's commercial capital and a sprawling city of 4.5 million, helmeted rescue workers used iron r

"We have been walking since morning. We are fleeing for our lives," said Harjivan Vyas, 37, a factory worker in Bhuj town. "There is no drinking water, no food. All houses are destroyed."

"There is a great panic among the people and they have spilled out onto the streets," said Haren Panya, home minister of Gujarat. Because of the aftershocks, "We have asked people to move out of old buildings."

The quake was the most powerful to strike India since August 15, 1950, when a magnitude-8.5 temblor killed 1,538 people in northeastern Assam state.

U.S. President George Bush offered condolences to the victims and said the United States is willing to provide assistance "as needed and desired by the governments" of both India and Pakistan.

People in the quake zone were using CNN's online message boards to ask about relatives and relay their experiences. Help lines were also kept busy.

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Approximate Word count = 1559
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)