Rescue and relief operations were interrupted on Sunday after a fresh tremor of 6.7-magnitude rocked Nepal. Even as India raced to intensify the ongoing rescue efforts in the Himalayan nation where the toll of the dead and the injured is mounting, fresh tremors forced authorities to put all movement of aid to Nepal on hold till late afternoon.
Passenger planes from India to Nepal were not allowed to land in Kathmandu in the wake of more tremors and only Air Force planes carrying emergency aid were given preference. “All movement to Kathmandu kept on hold till 16.00 hrs (IST) due to fresh tremors in Nepal," defence ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar tweeted. He also informed that MI-17 helicopter of IAF carried out five casualty evacuation sorties in Nepal and the injured persons have been moved to military hospitals.
Mr. Kar said IAF has rescued 171 people in 21 sorties and said Gorkha, Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchok, Kavrepalanchok and Dolakha have been identified as the worst affected districts in Nepal. “Some more sorties r underway. The plan is to drop relief supplies in worst affected valleys in case landing is not possible,” he tweeted.
India has rushed six more teams of the National Disaster Response Force to Nepal in addition to the 10 teams that have already been sent for quake relief. Four IAF MI 17 copters took off for rescue to Dhadind, Charikot, Chatauran and Gorkha on Sunday.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has dispatched 15 tonnes of medicines to Nepal and sent a 34 member medical team consisting of 10 Orthopaedic Surgeons, four Anaesthetists, 12 male nurses and eight OT Technicians to the earthquake affected areas to provide emergency medical relief. The Ministry has also sent three technicians for installing and operating water treatment plants that have been affected by the quake. “Restoring safe, potable water is a priority as is providing medial aid to the people in this hour of need,” said a senior official of the Ministry.
Authorities have also been flying out Indian nationals from Nepal since late on Saturday morning, while the first aircraft with 55 persons on board landed at Delhi at 11 p.m., a second with 100 and third with 160 also subsequently left Kathmandu. On Sunday afternoon two more flights with 52 passengers and 200 passengers respectively also took off from Kathmandu.
Even as Indian authorities ensured all rescue plans were quick off the ground within hours of the devastating earthquake on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address Mann ki Baat on radio assured Nepal of all help and said India would try its best to “wipe the tears” of the people of Nepal.
Relief and aid have also begun pouring in from the United States; USAID is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to the region and is providing an initial aid of $1 million in emergency assistance. “USAID is also activating an Urban Search and Rescue Team to accompany disaster experts,” USAID said in a statement.
Pakistan too has dispatched relief supplies to the quake-hit nation. A spokesperson of the Foreign Office tweeted: “Two aircraft carrying relief supplies reached Nepal. Aircraft may bring back10-15 Pakistanis. Arrangements for their food & transport made.”
A statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations said to provide relief to the earthquake victims in Nepal four C-130 aircraft carrying 30 bedded hospital, special search and rescue teams and relief items will dispatched to Nepal on Sunday. “An Urban search and rescue team of Pakistan Army which is highly specialised for rescue during natural disasters is being sent. The Urban search and rescue team is equipped with ground penetrating radars, concrete cutter. The team is specially trained to search people trapped in rubble. It will also carry sniffing dogs,” the ISPR said.
Meanwhile China too has dispatch aid to Nepal. A 62-member search-and-rescue team, with military personnel, arrived in Katmandu along with sniffer dogs and medical equipment midday Sunday, the Chinese government’s news agency, Xinhua , reported.
