Indian Air Force Plane lands at Kathmandu airport with relief material
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged India's assistance to Nepal, which was devastated by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake today. More than 1,800 people have died.
"Nepal's pain is our pain... Today's earthquake has made us all very sad. Reports are still coming on the extent of the damage," PM Modi tweeted on Saturday. He spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala on the phone and assured him of all assistance.
Four planes have been deployed by India for relief and rescue. An Indian Air Force C-130J Super Hercules carrying 3.5 tonnes of relief material and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team landed in Kathmandu on Saturday evening.
The C-130J also performed an aerial recce to check road communication to Pokhara and made a detailed assessment of the damage the 7.9 magnitude earthquake caused.
A second plane, an IAF IL-76, flew out of Bhatinda in Punjab, while two A C-17 Globemaster III flew out of Hindon, near Delhi. Each carried tents and blankets, medical teams and supplies and NDRF teams with their specialised equipment.
Ten NDRF teams are being been sent to Nepal, where there is massive devastation. Each NDRF team has around 45 personnel and is equipped with life detectors to locate people who may be trapped in debris. They also have cutters, air lifting bags, communications equipment and sniffer dogs.
The Indian government has also reduced call charges between India and Nepal to help communication. State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited will charge local call rates for the next three days.
(First Air Force plane carrying 3.5 tonnes of relief materail and rescue personnel at Kathmandu airport)
Bihar, which borders Nepal and where at least 32 people have died, has requested for four NDRF teams, while one will be sent to Gorakhur in Uttar Pradesh. Eight people have died in UP. Three deaths have been reported from West Bengal.
From Sunday, five Indian helicopters will be stationed in Kathmandu and another five in Pokhara, to be used for rescue and relief operations. India is also flying out special engineering teams to help the people of Nepal.
The External Affairs Ministry has also set up a 24-hour control room to help Indians. It has asked Indians to call in on their helpline numbers or contact the embassy in Kathmandu.