India today enlarged its relief and rescue operations in quake-hit Nepal to the worst-affected epicentre areas even as it began a “big” evacuation effort through the road route with 4,000 people scheduled to reach India tonight.
On the fourth day of the killer quake which has left thousands dead and affected millions in the neighbouring country, Indian rescuers from NDRF and Air Force planes have begun reaching areas beyond Kathmandu valley near Pokhara.
“We now have a better appreciation of the area after our helicopters have undertaken numerous sorties. We have conducted chopper operations to the affected areas outside Kathmandu today. A AN-32 plane also landed at Pokhara today,” Defence Secretary R K Mathur told reporters during an official briefing of operation ‘Maitri’ here.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, during the press conference, said a “big movement by roads” has been initiated and in the first phase approximately 4,000 Indians in 80 buses will be reaching India by tonight. The buses, after crossing the Indo-Nepal border, will termiate at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
“The bus route is probably the best route to come back home and we have made arrangements for the same along the border on the Indian side,” he said.
The two secretaries, along with Home Secretary L C Goyal, said “a few more” rescue and relief flights have taken to the air today even as a number of buses and trucks carrying loads of relief material reached Kathmandu and after dropping these, picked up passengers on their way back.
“There has been progress in terms of relief going in,” the Foreign Secretary said. Talking about Indian casualities, he said that bodies of six tourists from Assam have been handed over to their family members while seven more fatalities are feared adding 12 Indians were rescued by the Nepalese Army from Tamakoshi area.
Goyal said in India, 75 casualities and 450 injuries have been reported till now from affected states in the aftermath of the earthquake that hit the country and Nepal last Saturday.
“The maximum casualities of 58 have taken place in Bihar.
No assisstance has been sought by any other quake-affected state from the Centre till now. However, NDRF teams are working at these locations,” he said. .