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Nepal quake toll crosses 1000

Nepal quake toll crosses 1000

India Blooms News Service | | 25 Apr 2015, 10:47 pm
Kathmandu/New Delhi, Apr 25 (IBNS) A massive earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Nepal, leaving more than 1,000 people dead and devastating the Himalayan nation with several buildings, temples and towers being pulled down on Saturday. India, where the tremor was also felt from the north to east, was affected too.

Nepal's Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat tweeted:"Nepal Army estimates death toll as much as 1457 so far. 1055 injured."

"90 percent of approximately 1000 homes and huts reduced to rubble in Barpak Larpak area," he said.

Several parts of the mountainous nation experienced aftershocks following the quake which rocked the nation at around 11.41 a.m  IST (Indian Standard Time) at a depth of 10 km with its epicentral region located in Nepal about 80 Km NW of Kathmandu.

The quake, said to be strongest in Nepal in 80 years.

The epicentre of the earthquake lay 80 km (50 miles) east of Pokhara in Nepal, United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake pulled down buildings, temples and towers, felled trees and electric posts and left yawning cracks on roads across Nepal, specially in Kathmandu, the capital.

The historic Dharara Tower built in the 19th century in Kathmandu collapsed, trapping at least 50 people, Nepal media reported.

Efforts are on to recover more bodies from under heaps of rubble.

The tremors were felt in India and more than 30 people have died in different parts of the nation.

The latitude and Longitude are 28.1 N and 84.6 E respectively, the Indian government said in a statement.

"Effects of this earthquake were severely felt in all northern and central parts of India including in the capital city of New Dellhi," read a statement issued by the Indian government.

"A report by the Seismic Division of the Indian Meteorological Department says major damage is expected in and around the epicentral region. The source region is expected to experience an intensity of IX and above at Modified Mercalli scale(MMI) , which corresponds to  considerable damage even in specially designed structures," it said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepal counterpart Sushil Koirala over the massive earthquake that hit the Himalayan nation on Saturday.

"Spoke to PM Sushil Koirala, who is in transit in Bangkok on his way to Kathmandu. Assured all support & assistance during this tough time," Modi tweeted.

He also called chief ministers of several states to know about the situation following the major earthquake.

Modi convened a high level meeting with Ministers and top officials to work out agenda to reach out to the people in the affected areas.

The Prime Minister directed immediate dispatch of relief and rescue teams, including medical teams to Nepal, as well as to affected areas in India. He also directed that proper arrangements be made for rendering assistance in evacuation of stranded tourists.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said it has been in constant touch with all the affected states to assess the situation.

Speaking on the death toll, the Ministry said in a statement: "As per the latest information, 34 deaths have been confirmed so far with 23 deaths in Bihar, 8 in Uttar Pradesh and 3 in West Bengal. In order to deal with the situation in the affected States, 5 teams of National Disaster Response Force( NDRF) have already been sent; one team to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and one each to Darbhanga, Supaul, Motihari and Gopalganj in Bihar."

Each team of NDRF consists of 45 personnel who are fully equipped with the modern equipments to deal with search and rescue operations.

The team also includes medical and para-medics.

"The teams have equipments such as live detector machines, cutters which can cut steel, concrete and wood. There are sniffer dogs in these teams. Hence the teams are self-sufficient to deal with all aspects involved in search and rescue operations after an earthquake," said the statement.

Control Rooms 24X7 have been set up both in MHA and NDMA with following number:-011- 2309 3564, 23093566 (MHA Control Room ), 011-26701728, 26701729, 9868881801(M) – (NDMA Control Room) Meanwhile , an inter Governmental coordination cell has been set up in Cabinet Secretariat which will coordinate all relief measures for Nepal as well as for Indian States.

This will function on round-the-clock basis and the phone numbers are :- 011- 2301 6633, 2379 2281.

Meanwhile, speaking on the  assistance India is giving to Nepal in the moment of crisis, MHA spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted:"RT @SpokespersonMoD #NepalEarthquake The first C-17 Globemaster III aircraft of IAF has landed in Kathmandu. The second one is en route."

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has called the earthquake as 'great'.

From Rajasthan to Delhi to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Northeast, people everywhere in northern to eastern India felt the tremors for nearly a minute.

Mountaineer Alex Gavan tweeted from Mount Pumori, about 8 km west of Mount Everest, that the quake had caused an avalanche on Everest.

"Everest base camp huge earthquake then huge avalanche from Pumori. Running for life from my tent. Unhurt. Many many people up the mountain," tweeted Gavan

Anita Saha, Associate Teaching Professor at Tribhuvan University in Nepal said, "We felt it in Nepalgunj. The tremors were quite strong."

In Kolkata, buildings were shaking and many panic stricken people rushed outside.

Similar scenes were scene in Delhi and Patna and other parts of India
 

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