Earthquake in India Killed Over 500

N E W  D E L H I, India, Jan. 26 -- A devastating earthquake killed over 500 people and left hundreds more injured or missing throughout the Indian subcontinent today.

The quake, with conflicting estimates of a strength between 7.9 and 8.6 on the Richter scale, had its epicenter in the western Indian state of Gujarat. In that state's town of Bhuj, 150 people were killed when an apartment building collapsed. Another 200 people died in the city of Ahmedabad, also within that state. Hundreds injured or feared missing

Tremors were reported as far away as Kathmandu, Nepal, and Madras in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The quake was also felt in New Delhi and Bombay, where residents fled buildings and streamed into the streets.

The quake lasted up to 45 seconds near the epicenter, and 20 seconds in some places, and up to a minute in other places. Television pictures showed mangled piles of masonry andtwisted metal and the bloodied body of a small child. Elsewhere, a foot protruded from a heap of rubble.

India's finance minister, Yashwant Sinha, who was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is heading home to offer what assistance he can.

"We must immediately rush help to the victims and the second is to rebuild their lives in the medium term," Sinha said. The earthquake hit as India was marking the 51st anniversary of the country's transition to a republic today with a public holiday and a military parade. Many families were spending the holiday at home when thequake struck, bringing down older buildings in the westernstate of Gujarat and sending out tremors that could be feltaround the country and beyond. Most Powerful Quake in Decades

According to Indian authorities, this was the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in 40 years. However, the rescue efforts are being hampered by damage to a major telecommunications grid which is located in the state of Gujarat.

It was the world's second major quake of the year. OnJanuary 13, a quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale killedat least 700 people in El Salvador and made 10 percent of thatcountry's population homeless.