CNN.com provides quake hope

People all over the world have turned to CNN to help find their relatives

LONDON, England -- CNN's message board has been helping hundreds of people with relatives caught up in the earthquake in India to locate missing family and friends.

The message board has received more than 1,100 calls, many from people seeking information about relatives believed to have been in the area of the earthquake when it struck on Friday.

Two mothers have posted messages of thanks on the board to those who answered earlier pleas for assistance in finding their daughters.

Mary Becker was able to find Carson Becker, Cheryl Graeff and Carey Friedman, three friends from Chicago who were due to be travelling from Delhi to Gujarat state at the time the quake struck.

MESSAGE BOARD India earthquake

She writes on message number 1024: "I feel grateful that my daughter is safe and guilty to be so fortunate when there are mothers and fathers in sorrow tonight."

She told CNN.com: "What I found on the CNN message board was unbelievable kindness from people all over the world offering assistance.

"These generous souls took the time and energy to contact me to offer comfort and reassurance. The messages were like a lifeline in the dark of the night and I read them with wonder and tears.

"My daughter and her friends were saved because they left Delhi and went east instead of west. They are unharmed and in Allahbad."

Kendra Lundgren posted this message on Sunday: "We are in the USA and have been trying to find out the whereabouts of our daughter, Marta Van Patten.

"We think she is at a Center near Mandvi in Bada Village, but the phones are down. If there is anyone near there and willing to go to the Bada-Kutch Vipassana Centre to confirm that she is there, we would greatly appreciate.

"We already know the Center is safe, but we are unsure if she is there."

Within a day the request was granted. The message from Kendra, number 1031, reads: "We are very fortunate that our daughter has turned up safe.

"Thank you so much for this CNN message board and for all of you that have helped us with information.

"We pray for the families of those that have lost loved ones during this difficult time. I have read messages here for the past 48 hrs and thus followed some of your advice-thank you."

There are also many messages from people living in the towns and villages of the earthquake offering to help in tracing loved-ones missing in the area.

One reads: "If you have your relatives in Ahmedabad and you are worrying about their safety than give us their address and mail to help2000@rediffmail.com and we will personally visit your relatives and will mail you back to tell their status."

Fiona Adams, from Cape Town, South Africa, used this service to help track down friends she made while on holiday in India last month. She heard good news 12 hours later.

She said: "This was the first time I had used a message board and I think it is incredible. So many people have found it a lifeline in trying to get information."

She posted message number 1041 to thank those who assisted her.

Rosalie Bhatnagar also heard good news about her family on the message board: She writes on message 922: "Our family is safe and everything else pales in significance. Take heart, all. Thank you everyone for all your help, information and support.

"This site was a real blessing for those of us who could get no specific news and it did help us to hear your positive input."

Sparkey Humphrey writes on message 938: "I needed to stay thank you to all who helped me find if the Sarabhai family was safe. A special thanks to Chinmay, Anisha, and Minesh. What wonderful people you are. God bless you all.

Anand P writes on message 994: "It is heart-warming to see so many people come together to help out in a very difficult time.

"Some of the people on this message board have done an exceptional job in providing information and emotional support to others. You are all true heroes and heroines."

The message board was put up within six hours of the earthquake hitting the town of Bhuj in northwest India on Thursday.

The team who supervise the message board quickly decided to relax their rules and allow people to post their e-mail addresses and contact telephone numbers on the site.

The first time the message board was used in this way was during the earthquake with brought death and devastation to Turkey in 1999.

It was also widely used to provide information about the NATO bombing campaign in Yugoslavia the same year.

A message board manager said: "We are delighted to provide this service."

Rescues continue 4 days after devastating India earthquake
January 29, 2001
India tends to quake survivors
January 28, 2001

See related sites about Asia

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.