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Detailed explanation-1: -PM Modi today dedicated India’s first earthquake memorial, named Smruti Van at Bhuj in Gujarat. Smruti Van is a unique memorial carrying the names of more than 12 thousand people who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake that struck here in January 2001.

Detailed explanation-2: -The architect for the memorial and museum was Vastu-Shilpa Consultants while exhibits were designed by Design Factory India. It was inaugurated on 28 August 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Detailed explanation-3: -The moment magnitude of the quake was 7.7 (6.9 on the Richter scale). In addition to killing more than 20,000 people and injuring more than 150,000 others, the quake left hundreds of thousands homeless and destroyed or damaged more than a million buildings. A large majority of the local crops were ruined as well.

Detailed explanation-4: -In 2001, a massive earthquake jolted Bhuj in Gujarat’s Kutch district in which more than 20,000 people were killed and more than 1.5 lakh people were injured. The earthquake left thousands homeless.

Detailed explanation-5: -Smritivan (can be translated as Forest of Memories), adorned as the largest memorial and museum to ever be built in modern India, covers a vast area over 470 acres. It is situated on the Bhujiyo Dungar (a small hill) in the outskirts of Bhuj.