Nepal earthquake devastated communities, death toll climbs to 157

KATHMANDU: In the wake of a catastrophic earthquake in Nepal, the nation grapples with the aftermath as the death toll climbs to 157. Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, assessed the situation while the government rushed to provide relief, the Nepal PM Secretariat said.

Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, on Saturday visited the affected regions, acknowledging the extensive damage.

In response, the government has mobilised the Nepal Army, Nepali Sentinel, and the Armed Police Force to conduct rescue operations via helicopters.

Health workers are also being rapidly deployed, equipped with essential medical supplies sourced from surrounding districts.

"There has been a lot of damage in the earthquake-affected area. Hundreds of people are injured, thousands of houses have been destroyed, and our government is engaged in relief work. We have deployed the Nepali Army, Nepali Sentinel. The Armed Police Force has been given the responsibility of taking all the injured to the hospitals for rescue through helicopters," said the Nepal PM.

Prime Minister Dahal has conveyed the government's dedication to relief efforts, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

"Health workers are also reaching the spot by taking health equipment from the surrounding districts through helicopters. We have also rescued our own injured with our helicopters. Our government is doing the work that should be done for today and tomorrow. Tomorrow we have called a Cabinet meeting along with a meeting of the Disaster Management Committee," he added.

The scale of injuries has overwhelmed the region, with a continuous queue of ambulances outside Bheri Hospital in the nearby district of Nepalganj, where injured individuals are being admitted every few seconds.

The visuals from Surkhet Province Hospital showed dedicated healthcare professionals offering treatment to those affected by the earthquake.

"We have 26 victims here. There are injuries like - head injuries, abdominal injuries, chest injuries, and leg injuries...We have manpower also... We are prepared. We are ready. The judgment team is very active...," the Public Health Inspector of Surkhet Province Hospital told ANI.

Efforts are also underway to provide medical assistance, with security personnel actively involved in transporting the injured to the TV Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.

India, Nepal's neighbouring nation, has extended support during this challenging period. Following the initial earthquake, India released an emergency contact number for Indians in Nepal requiring 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.

Meanwhile, Nepal Home Ministry's spokesman, Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, said that a meeting was convened in Kathmandu by the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister to address the crisis.

"Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister held a meeting in Kathmandu over the earthquake that hit the country. A few decisions were taken in the meeting. Decisions were also made to resume the electricity supply and communication system. Nepal Telecom has been ordered to make its services free for the coming 5 days in the affected areas," he said.

OP Mishra, the Director of the National Center for Seismology (NCS), emphasised the critical role that building structures played in the severity of the earthquake's impact.

"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. Earthquakes do not kill people; it is the structure that kills people," Mishra told ANI.

Government officials have been directed to deploy ambulances near the helipad of Nepalgunj Airport and military barracks to ensure swift medical assistance to those in need.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the earthquake in Nepal.

PM Modi offered support to Nepal and expressed India's willingness to extend all possible assistance.

The earthquake's impact has not been confined to Nepal alone. Tremors were felt in several districts of North India, including Delhi-NCR, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.