Nepal earthquake: Rescue operations as it happened on Sunday

India on Sunday launched 'Operation Maitri' to rescue people trapped after massive earthquake of 7.9 magnitude hit Nepal, killing more than 1900 and leaving 4,721 injured.

Kathmandu/New Delhi: India on Sunday launched 'Operation Maitri' to rescue people trapped after massive earthquake of 7.9 magnitude hit Nepal.

The calamity is said be the worst in over 80 years of Nepal's history.

Here are the LIVE updates:

  • Air India slashes fare to Kathmandu: Reports.
  • Another batch of 113 Indians evacuated from Nepal arrive in Delhi by IAF C-17 Globemaster.
  • Mild tremors felt in Delhi: Reports.
  • I would like to thank our government, Indian Airforce and all the volunteers for their efforts in Nepal: Hindi film actress Preity Zinta.
  • Very determined, concerned,generous,humane leadership effectively deploying resources in Nepal. Thank you PMO India for leading from the front, says Kiran Bedi.
  • Fresh 5.3 magnitude earthquake hits Nepal at 9.56 PM: Reports.
  • Fresh 3.2 magnitude earthquake hits Assam's Nagaon: Reports.
  • Unprecedented damage caused by massive earthquake. People braving the situation, authorities trying to help. Praying for departed souls: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
  • Apart from BSNL and MTNL, M/s Tata, Reliance Communication Ltd, Telewings, Sistema has made calls to Nepal for 3 days as local calls. Airtel has made calls to Nepal free for 48 hours from 0000 Hours of today. Idea has made calls to Nepal @ one rupee per minute from Rs 12/- per minute. Vodafone now also decided 2 make calls 2 Nepal @ Re1/- per minute till 2400 hrs of tomorrow. Implementation underway, likely 2 be completed in 3 Hours. No damage to International links of various operators and working satisfactorily: Union Minister for Communications and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad.
  • Death toll from Nepal earthquake tops 2,500, as per AP.
  • I salute indian armed forces for their rescue efforts in earthquake impacted areas: Ramdev.
  • Another IAF C 130 lands in Delhi with 141 passengers: MEA.
  • IAF operations on hold due to bad weather.
  • The MeT department has predicted more aftershocks and rains in earthquake-hit Nepal.
  • Number of evacuated Indians in six IAF flights reaches 1050. More flights expected tonight: MEA
  • Vodafone slashes call rates to quake-hit Nepal.
  • India deploys 35 buses to move its stranded nationals out of Nepal via two road routes, through Sunauli in Uttar Pradesh and Raxaul in Bihar.
  • Heavy rains are likely in earthquake-hit Nepal, warns MET department.
  • Government increases compensation to Rs 6 lakh for the families of those killed in the earthquake: PMO
  • There will also be major evacuation through road route, Jaishankar says.
  • There are still thousands stranded in Nepal, though numbers can't be confirmed: Jaishankar
  • Rapid Rescue and Relief Operation is primary focus. Also getting back Indians is important. 540 Indians have been brought back: Jaishankar
  • Already six C17 aircraft operational in Kathmandu; their actions are being coordinated: Jaishankar
  • An Engineering task force, medical contingent along with 2 tons of medical supplies and 3 more NDRF teams have gone today: Jaishankar
  • We expect to have 13 military aircraft going to Kathmandu today: Jaishankar
  • Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar briefs media on rescue operations.
  • PM Narendra Modi takes stock of situation, directs speeding up of efforts to save and evacuate people from Nepal.

Also Read: PM Modi asks officials to speed-up operations

  • Players of the 'India under 14 football team' arrive at Delhi Airport, rescued from Nepal earthquake.
  • Earthquake death toll in Bihar has reached 50, says Nitish Kumar.
  • Nepal government declares earthquake a national calamity.
  • Government briefing on rescue operations at 6 pm.
  • PM Modi's earthquake review meeting at 7 RCR ends.
  • C-17 Globemaster III of IAF has landed at Palam at 04.45 PM from Kathmandu with 237 passengers on board.
  • Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International airport has re-opened for air traffic.
  • Air services to Kathmandu were hit again today as flights of Air India, SpiceJet and IndiGo failed to land in the earthquake-hit Nepalese capital and returned here as ATC personnel at Tribhuvan International Airport were evacuated following a powerful aftershock. However, Air India was able to operate two flight in the morning, one each from Delhi and Kolkata with 118 and 45 passengers on board, the PTI reported.
  • Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said that 1500 Indians stranded in Nepal will be brought to India.
  • The main entrance of Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala's residence was also affected by the quake. Koirala was in Indonesia when the earthquake hit the country. 

Also Read: Nepal president spends night in tent

  • Fearing further aftershocks, Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav spent night in a tent outside his official office-cum-residence 'Sheetal Niwas' after it developed cracks due to the powerful earthquake.   
  • PM Modi holds high-level meeting to review the situation after fresh tremors hit India, Nepal. Senior minister including Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh are present in the meeting.
  • The death toll after Nepal earthquake increases to 57 in India. 

Also Read: Fresh tremors shake various states, toll climbs to 57

  • Mass cremation of victims killed due to earthquake in Nepal took place in Kathmandu today.
  • All schools and government offices will remain closed for a week.
  • Fresh tremors on Sunday delayed the evacuation of the Indian Under-14 girls football team from the earthquake-affected Nepal capital, the IANS reported.

Also Read: India U-14 football girls stranded at Kathmandu

  • Powerful aftershocks rocked Nepal Sunday, panicking survivors of a quake that killed more than 2,200 and triggering fresh avalanches at Everest base camp, as rescuers dug through rubble in the devastated capital Kathmandu, the AFP reported.
  • The first rescue plane carrying people injured in an earthquake-triggered avalanche that ripped through tents on Mount Everest arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday shortly before a strong aftershock rocked India and Nepal.
  • Efforts to rescue trapped mountaineers at Mouth Everest is going on. While several of them are still stuck in base camp, the fate of others is still not known.
  • An eight-year-old girl was killed and seven children were injured as a temporary shed crumbled in Rajasthan`s Bharatpur district.

Also Read: One girl killed as quake hits parts of Rajasthan

  • The first rescue plane carrying people injured in an earthquake-triggered avalanche that ripped through tents on Mount Everest arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday shortly before a strong aftershock rocked India and Nepal and triggered more snowfalls, according to Reuters.

Also Read: Injured flown from Everest, aftershock triggers new avalanches

  • West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will visit areas in Siliguri affected by earthquake.
  • The rescue work in Nepal have been put on hold till 4 pm after fresh tremor hits India, Nepal.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an emergency meeting at his residence at 3:30 pm today.
  • Kolkata Metro services were halted briefly after fresh tremor as a precautionary move.  
  • The tremor has once again created avalanche-like situation on Mouth Everest where several people are still trapped and awaiting rescue.  
  • Three aftershocks were experienced in Nepal today.  
  • Delhi metro services were resumed after few minutes minutes.
  • People evacuated buildings and rushed out of their homes after tremor were felt once again today afternoon.
  • Kathmandu airport has been closed again after fresh tremor struck Nepal.
  • Services of Delhi Metro have been curtailed. 
  • The epicentre, with a depth of 10 km, was at 17 km southeast of Kodari, 110 km from here, the USGS said, according to the US Geological Survey.
  • Fresh tremor were experienced in several parts of India including Sikkim, West Bengal, Patna, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi-NCR for over 30 seconds at 12:42 pm. Strong tremors have been experienced in Kathmandu as well.  
  • Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar whose boundary is adjoining Nepal. He has asked the two state governments to rush their ambulances and buses to Nepal to aid rescue operation.
  • NDRF Chief OP Singh today rushed to Nepal in order to coordinate operations of the Indian rescue forces and local authorities in the quake-hit country. They have been deployed in areas of Lalitpur, Bhagatpur and valley division which is about 10 kms from the national capital, the PTI reported.
  • PM Modi said that two more NDRF teams will be sent to Nepal to assist in the rescue operations. Seven teams are already present in the quake-hit nation.
  • Helicopters airlifted injured climbers off Mount Everest Sunday after an avalanche killed at least 17 people, an AFP team at the scene reported.
  • In his popular radio address 'Mann ki Baat', PM Narendra Modi expresses solidarity with Nepal and said that India is with them at the time of this crisis. Modi said that India will assist in relief and rescue operation in every way after the major earthquake caused devastation.
  • MEA has set up helpline numbers for affected people of various states. A separate Twitter handle @MEAcontrolroom and email: controlroom@mea.gov.in has also been created for affected people.
  • Over 53 people have been killed and 240 injured in different parts of the country after the massive earthquake in Nepal. Efforts to rescue those trapped under the rubble is going on.
  • Death toll in Nepal increased to 1900 on Sunday with hundreds of people still trapped in the debris.
  • Government of India has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the victims who have lost their lives in earthquake.
  • Over 50 people were killed in India after the massive earthquake struck Nepal with at least 38 people were killed in Bihar and 11 in Uttar Pradesh. 
  • A meeting of National Crisis Management, headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, will be held in the afternoon to assess the rescue and relief operations.
  • Air India has resumed flight operations to Kathmandu with two services - one each from Delhi and Kolkata early morning.

Also Read: Air India resumes flights to Nepal

  • Nearly 550 Indians have been evacuated by the IAF from Nepal even as India stepped up its relief and rescue mission with 10 flights and 12 helicopters scheduled to carry specialists and equipment to Kathmandu today, the PTI reported.
  • Bad weather frustrated efforts to rescue hundreds of climbers stranded on Mount Everest on Sunday, a day after an earthquake in Nepal triggered an avalanche in possibly the single deadliest incident on the world`s highest peak, the Reuters reported.

Also Read: Bad weather hampers search for avalanche survivors on Everest

  • External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has urged Indians stranded in Nepal to contact mission in Kathmandu for help. She added that India's U-14 team will also be evacuated on priority basis.
  • Nepal ramped up efforts on Sunday to rescue people trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. People used their hands in many places to dig for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings, the Reuters reported. 
  • Fresh tremor were felt again at 8:55 am in Nepal today
  • Indian Army has named aid to Nepal as 'Operation Maitri'.Indian Army has named aid to Nepal as 'Operation Maitri'.
  • MoD spokesperson Sitanshu Kar tweeted that five MI17 helicopters have been sent to Kathmandu to aid in the rescue and relief operations by India today. 
  • Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that four IAF aircraft have been pressed into action and have rescued 540 stranded Indians.
  • India began rescue operations with at least 10 flights scheduled per day to rescue Indians stranded in Nepal.
  • Tremors measuring 4.5 on Richter Scale hit Nepal again on Sunday morning at 5:11 am. However, no loss of life or destruction has been reported.