Coverage of the devastating earthquake in the Indian state of Gujarat has dominated the news.

One journalist who has experienced the devastation first-hand is Nic Ridley of the Leicester Mercury, who has been heading the paper’s coverage of the disaster.

Around one fifth of the city’s population is Asian.

Together with an aid worker, Nic spent a week in Gujarat, filing copy to the paper while he was there to produce a series of articles telling of the aftermath of the quake.

Leicester-based aid organisation Sewa International and its Indian sister group Sewa Bharti is at the forefront of rehabilitation and rehousing projects.

Nationally, Sewa International has raised £2.5m for the earthquake disaster fund, with £300,000 of the total coming from Leicester alone.

Nic said: “I’ve built up close links with SEWA International and went to see what work they do and show the people who have donated money how it has been spent.”

Despite seeing reports of the disaster before his trip, Nic was still shocked at what he saw.

He said: “The TV footage doesn’t do it justice. You can’t imagine what it is like.

“But people were still coming up to me smiling. They remain optimistic.”

To read one of Nic’s reports from Gujarat, click here.

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