Nepal earthquake: India releases helpline number for urgent assistance

After a massive 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal, claimed 132 lives and several injured, India has released an emergency contact number for Indians who require urgent assistance.

"Alert Emergency Contact Number for Indians requiring assistance due to the recent earthquake in Nepal: +977-9851316807 MEA India," India in Nepal posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Following the earthquake of 6.4 magnitude, National Center for Seismology (NCS) Director Dr OP Mishra said that two important factors for the severity of the occurrence in the Himalayan region were the time and structure of buildings in the area.

The NCS Director also said that it is not the earthquake that kills people, but the kind of structure in the region.

"The intensity in Nepal was very strong, but when it came to Delhi it was reduced. Intensity is the degree of sitting, but magnitude 6.4 is the content of energy. Earthquake does not kill people it is the structure that kills people," Mishra told ANI.

Earlier today, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' arrived in Jajarkot to meet the affected people.

Officials have been asked to deploy ambulances near the helipad of Nepalgunj Airport and military barracks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he is "deeply saddened" by the loss of lives and damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal. PM Modi offered support to Nepal and expressed India's willingness to extend all possible assistance.

According to the National Centre for Seismology, the magnitude of the earthquake on the Richter Scale was recorded at 6.4 and the epicentre of the quake was in Nepal at a depth of 10 km.

The tremors of the earthquake were also felt in several districts of North India including Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.