Apr 28, 12:33 PM
Crisis looms over the Nepal even after 72 hour of earthquake Himalayan nation as there is a shortage of food, water, electricity and medicines. Fear drove thousands of people out into the open yesterday after fresh tremors were felt in many parts. The death toll has crossed 4,300 with more than 8,000 injured and scores others missing. Hundreds of people are still trapped under tonnes of rubble in capital Kathmandu and some of the worst-affected remote mountainous areas amid concerns that the toll could cross the 5,000 mark.
The government has announced nine districts as highly-affected areas. It said, altogether 60 districts have been affected by the earthquake. Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has said that the rescue and relief operations have not been effective. In an all-party meeting organised by Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang yesterday, Mr Koirala urged political parties to work together in this national crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with top officials on the situation arising due to the Earthquake in Nepal. Progress in relief and rescue operations following the major quake was also discussed. The government is also sending free insulin injections to diabetes patients among the Earthquake victims in Nepal. Mr Modi has also donated one month’s salary to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund, for assistance to those affected by the recent earthquake.
Multi-nation rescue teams, including from India, are carrying out relief and rescue work. Armed with modern equipment, dumpers and earth removers and aided by sniffer dogs, disaster relief workers are trying to locate possible survivors. More than 700 disaster relief experts drawn from the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed by India, which has mounted massive relief operations as part of ‘Operation Maitri’. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has rescued 11 individuals, recovered 67 dead bodies and evacuated more than 1000 people in Nepal. In a series of tweets, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, he spoke to DG NDRF O P Singh this morning who apprised him of the ongoing rescue operations in earthquake affected areas of Nepal. Mr Singh also commended, the NDRF, Indian Army and other forces for doing a remarkable job in Nepal.
Relief material weighing 8,200 kilograms were distributed by choppers and the Indian Air Force. Nepal Army and IAF Helicopters carried out 25 sorties throughout yesterday to rescue people and provide relief material in the quake-affected districts. India has also sent a team of senior officials from ministries of Home, Defence, External Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority to co-ordinate rescue and relief operations in the quake-ravaged country. The team is monitoring the evacuation of stranded Indians in Nepal.
Nearly 5,400 Indians have been brought back, so far. Briefing media in New Delhi last evening, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar hoped that another 1,600 Indians will be brought back soon. He said, India is also receiving requests from other countries and 30 foreign nationals have been rescued until now. The Foreign Secretary also said that a power grid team is working with Nepal Electricity Authority to restore the power in Kathmandu. He said it has also been decided to send more National Disaster response Force teams. The National Disaster Management Authority has launched a national helpline 011-1078 to help the people affected due to the natural calamity.
Fresh tremors were also felt in India in the states of Bihar, Assam and West Bengal last evening. The tremors were measuring at 5.1 on the Richter Scale. According to the head of the Meteorological Department of Sikkim, its epicenter was located on the Nepal-India border area.