4 IAF planes, NDRF men get into action

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 25

India has swiftly moved relief material and specialised rescue teams to quake-hit Nepal and promised to pour more assistance after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepali counterpart Sushil Koirala and President Ram Baran Yadav.

President Pranab Mukherjee also called his Nepalese counterpart Yadav and conveyed that the people of India are with Nepal in the hour of crisis. He promised him fullest cooperation.

Four Indian Air Force heavy-lift aircraft have begun ferrying relief material and landed over 150 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) armed with specialised equipment in Kathmandu, besides flying in a mobile hospital.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said Nepal sought assistance in the form of specialised equipment to launch rescue operations in the quake-hit areas, water and medical supplies, tents and blankets, besides carrying out an assessment of the extent of damage caused by the massive tremor.

The first IAF C130J Super Hercules landed in Kathmandu this evening, carrying around 3.5 tonnes of relief material and 40 NDRF men, while two C-17 Globemaster, one of which will be a flying hospital, will transport more material and men. A third transport aircraft IL-76 from Bathinda also transported relief material. Briefing the media after a meeting chaired by Modi, the Foreign Secretary said India would do everything within its capability to help Nepal.

By tomorrow, India will station 10 helicopters to coordinate with the Nepalese authorities for local rescue, airlift and food distribution. Five of these helicopters each will be stationed in Kathmandu and Pokhara.

The External Affairs Ministry has also set up a 24-hour control room to help its nationals. Asked about Indians stuck there, Jaishankar said the government had received information from several states regarding tourist groups and it was being processed to get the exact number.

Three IAF aircraft on Saturday night brought back 312 stranded Indians. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced death of the daughter of a staffer working in the Indian mission and his wife sustaining injuries following the earthquake.

Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who is from the Gorkha regiment having a large Nepali-origin strength, is in touch with his Nepalese counterpart. Indian Army expedition team to Mount Everest is safe and extricated 18 bodies of other climbers who were buried after an avalanche. Telecom Minster Ravi Shankar Prasad said state-run BSNL call to Nepal for the next three days would be charged at local rates.

In response to his call for matching steps from private operators, Airtel announced free calls to Nepal on its network over the next 48 hours.

10 die as quake triggers Everest avalanche

At least 10 climbers died and many went missing after a 7.9 magnitude quake in Nepal today unleashed an avalanche at the base camp of Mount Everest. Tourism Ministry spokesperson Gyanendra Shrestha said: “Hundreds of foreign climbers and guides are feared missing after an avalanche buried part of the base camp.” He said 8 bodies had been recovered, though their nationalities could not be confirmed. The Chinese media said one of its climbers was among the dead. Officials estimate that at least 1,000 climbers were at the base camp of the peak when the quake struck. 

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