Even as the Centre rushed National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) teams to quake affected states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high level meeting of senior ministers and top officials to take stock of the situation.
The Prime Minister spoke to Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav and offered all assistance. He also tried to reach Prime Minister Sushil Koirala who is abroad.
His office advised the Bhutanese Embassy to keep in touch with the Bhutan government and offer assistance.
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"The Prime Minister spoke to the Chief Ministers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim and offered central assistance. He especially inquired about the situation in the districts that bordered Nepal," the Press Information Bureau said in a press release.
Later speaking to journalists Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the government was trying to ascertain the number of casualties and added that National Disaster Relief Fund teams had already been rushed to the affected states.
Mr. Modi on Saturday directed immediate dispatch of relief and rescue teams to earthquake-affected areas of the country as well as Nepal and ordered proper arrangements for evacuating stranded tourists from that country.
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The directives came after he took stock of the situation arising from the massive earthquake at a high-level meeting attended by Ministers Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra and senior officials of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Metereological Department (IMD).
The Prime Minister was briefed about the extent of damage to life and property received so far from various places in India and Nepal, a PMO statement said.
He directed immediate dispatch of relief and rescue teams, including medical teams to Nepal, as well as to affected areas in India, it said.
The Prime Minister also asked officials to make proper arrangements for rendering assistance in evacuation of stranded tourists, the statement added.
He was informed that the first set of NDRF teams is expected to reach Kathmandu today itself.
Mr. Modi earlier spoke to Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and assured all help to them in the “tough” situation.
He also talked to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The central government’s Crisis Management Committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, is holding regular meetings to keep a watch on the situation.
(With inputs from PTI)