India: 'Tiny tremor exposes chinks in Delhi disaster preparedness'

Less than three weeks after the authorities here proclaimed that their first-ever exercise to test the preparedness for a great earthquake was a success, a magnitude 4.9 earthquake shook buildings, causing no damage. According to The Hindu, the tremor made clear that neither the public nor emergency services are in fact ready to deal with a real-life disaster. Some workers and building managers seemed unaware that use of elevators exposed them to lethal risks. "I did feel the quake, but there was no point in rushing out as it almost got over by the time I reached the door to my room," said an official working at Nirman Bhawan, home to dozens of Ministries and government officers.