10 NDRF teams sent to Nepal, four on standby in India, says Rijiju

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said 10 NDRF teams have been sent to Nepal while four others are on standby at Sitamarhi, Gorakhpur, Darbhanga and Varanasi.

"The crisis management team, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, has already started working and Home Ministry being the Nodal Ministry, we are completely in touch with all the stakeholders, the state governments and Home Minister also has spoken to the Chief Ministers," Rijiju told ANI.

"We have already sent 10 teams of NDRF to Nepal and besides that, we have already stationed four teams of NDRF on standby, at Sitamarhi, Gorakhpur, Darbhanga and Varanasi," he added.

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 along with equipments such as live detector machines, cutters which can cut steel, concrete and wood.

Rijiju further said that the government hoped to mitigate the crisis by a quick response.

"We are constantly monitoring and we hope we can reduce the loss of life and properties," he added.

An earthquake with an intensity of 7.9 on ritcher scale with epicenter 77 kilometer north-west of Kathmandu was experienced today.

The impact of the earthquake was felt in almost all northern States in India particularly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal.

As per the latest information, 34 deaths have been confirmed so far with 23 deaths in Bihar, 8 in Uttar Pradesh and three in West Bengal.

According to reports, between 600- 715 people have died in the massive earthquake in Nepal.