Nepal earthquake: Over 600 Indians stranded, Modi orders immediate evacuation

Kathmandu/Ahmedabad: Nearly 125 people from Maharashtra and Telangana are stranded in Nepal after a high-magnitude earthquake struck the Himalayan nation.

According to officials at the Maharashtra Information Centre in Delhi, around 80 people from Nashik had gone to Nepal for pilgrimage while 15-20 people were on a trekking expedition.

"We have been receiving calls from people from the state, but we are not able to reach them. Around 80 people from Nashik had gone for pilgrimage while the remaining had gone for trekking," said an official at the MIC.

Meanwhile, 25 tourists from Hyderabad, who are in Kathmandu are safe.

Around 550 tourists from Gujarat are stranded in Nepal, but most of them are safe, the state officials said.

The Gujarat government has set up a special control room in Gandhinagar with helpline numbers 079-2325-1900, 2325-1902 and 2325-1908.

"We have compiled the information that we have received...around 550 tourists from Gujarat are stranded in Nepal," state relief commissioner D N Pandey said. "Most of them are safe," he added.

Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, meanwhile, said, "I express my grief over the loss of life due to the earthquake. We stand with Nepal in this hour of crisis. The state officials have been instructed to keep the disaster management mechanism on alert. I appeal to people not to panic and follow safety guidelines issued by the government."

Pandey also said that people should avoid visiting the quake-affected areas for some days.

Health Minister Nitin Patel said many Gujaratis visit Nepal during vacations. "The state, alongwith the Centre, would do everything to bring the stranded tourists back," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered immediate dispatch of relief and medical teams to Nepal and directed evacuation of Indian tourists.

Tour organiser Gowrishankar, who took the tourists, said members of their group were safe and moved to an open ground, close to Pashupatinath temple.

"I was in the bathroom on the fourth floor of my hotel when I experienced tremors. Immediately, I took a bed spread and ran down to the floor.

"Now, all of us are safe in an open ground, close to the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu," he said.

Gowrishankar further said they were "fortunate" that there was no damage to their hotel even as some buildings in the vicinity collapsed.

The group comprising people from Hyderbad left on April 17 from Hyderabad and were scheduled to return to Hyderbad after visiting Varanasi.

National carrier Air India will resume its services to Nepal from tomorrow and also decided to operate two additional flights from here and Kolkata to the quake-hit country with relief material and to fly out people stranded there.

The two flights which were to be operated today have been cancelled and would now take-off tomorrow, Air India said.

"The regular scheduled operations from Delhi and Kolkata will also resume tomorrow," Air India said in a statement here.

Besides, the airline would also operate two additional flights -- one each from New Delhi and Kolkata – for Kathmandu tomorrow with relief material and also to fly out those who are stuck due to the devastating earthquake, it said.

The additional flight from New Delhi to Kathmandu (AI-1215) will depart at 1030 hours while the second flight (AI-1247) would take off from Kolkata at 0700 hours, the airline said.

The state-run carrier operates three services to Kathmandu -- two daily services from Delhi and one from Kolkata, which is operated four times a week.

Air India would also carry relief material free of charge on priority basis, on its flights to Kathmandu, both from Delhi and Kolkata, it said.

The decision to resume operations was taken following the re-opening of the runway of the Tribhuvan International Airport, which was closed for few hours today due to the earthquake, it said.

The national airline has also waived off cancellation and refund charges for the bookings for Kathmandu and vice versa for travel up to May 2, the release said, adding the waiver will be for all connecting passengers to and from Kathmandu through Delhi and Kolkata also.

Budget carrier SpiceJet, which had cancelled both of its flight from Delhi for Kathmandu also said it plans to resume operations from tomorrow.

"SpiceJet plans to operate its scheduled flight for Kathmandu tomorrow," the airline said in statement. The airline said it was also looking into operating additional relief flights, if required.

Accredited NGOs and relief organizations looking to transport emergency supplies, doctors are requested to contact airline by e-mail and SpiceJet would accommodate as many requests as possible free of charge, it said.

Indian Embassy in Nepal: 977-1-4410900 / 4414990 / 4411699
24x7, Emergency Contact Number - 977-1-4423702
Mobile no: 9851107021