Prayer meetings, peace gatherings and floral tributes on Sunday marked the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake that rocked Gujarat in 2001, claiming hundreds of lives and leaving scores of others maimed.

Candles were lit late on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning in Ahmedabad, where 762 persons had perished when 85 buildings collapsed in the temblor measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale.

Families of victims accompanied by well wishers took out prabhat pheris to offer prayers to their loved ones while several people who were part of the rescue and relief work also gathered at sites were multi-storeyed buildings once stood.

In Maninagar locality where the Swaminarayan school had collapsed, killing 32 children during the Republic Day parade, homage was paid at the plaque, bearing names of those who had perished.

Kirti Shah of the Home Losers Association Ahmedabad (HOLSAA) told PTI that 'signs of development at all quake-hit sites across the state are positive considering that the government had about a million families to attend to and about 4,00,000 houses to rebuild'.

The last two years have been a struggle and several crucial post-quake issues that need to be attended to were brought to light, he said.

However, "the advisory committee of the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA), of which I am also a member, has not met for five months now," he said.