4,000 people, mostly Indians, to reach India in 80 buses tonight

These people are being transported in 80 buses that would cross over into India and terminate at Gorakhpur, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said. (Source: Twitter)

Around 4,000 people affected by the Nepal earthquake, mostly Indians, were scheduled to reach India through the road route late tonight, the government said on Tuesday. These people are being transported in 80 buses that would cross over into India and terminate at Gorakhpur, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said.

With the weather continuing to play spoilsport, only 20 helicopter sorties could be undertaken by the Indian Air Force today. On a clear weather day, this number is usually around 40, officials said. Similarly, only three flights from India — two in Kathmandu and one in Pokhara — could land on Tuesday.

Already, 2,865 Indians have been rescued from Nepal by air. The latest information to come in stated that 12 Indians had been rescued by the Nepalese Army in Tumakoshi. The Indian rescuers also rescued 19 mountaineers from Lukla Tuesday, the government said. Already, 24 tons of relief material has been sent to Nepal from India.

As many as 170 foreigners from 15 countries have already been evacuated by Indian rescuers through the air route and another 251 foreign national also reached India through the land border, the government said. Of the 170 foreigners rescued by air, 71 are from Spain, 33 from Poland, 20 from Czech Republic and 10 from the USA.

Rescue teams from India, meanwhile, began 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 said during an official briefing.

“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,” the Foreign Secretary said. More than a 100 more buses from the Indian side — loaded with relief material — will be sent to Nepal tomorrow to bring back more people.

The government said that the bodies of six tourists from Assam have been handed over to their family members while seven more fatalities are feared.

Home Secretary L C Goyal said that 75 casualities and 450 injuries have been reported till now from India following the earthquake. “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.

The Foreign Secretary said that Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae met Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and the Army Chief even as they thanked India for the swift action and help provided to the victims of the quake.

India has sent 16 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to Nepal. These teams are working in close coordination with Nepalese authorities. These trained personnel will also be moved to operate in places closer to the affected areas.

The Defence Secretary said that three field hospitals, with 45 beds, have been made operational there and even three surgeries have been conducted. Mathur said with the operationalisation of two air bases at Kathmandu and Pokhara, the IAF has got better options to undertake sorties even as this has “de-congested air space in Kathmandu”.

NDMA Member-Secretary R K Jain said 249 phone calls have been received till now on its helpline number ‘1078′.

Source:: Indian Express