The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed ten teams to carry out the relief and rescue work in Nepal, which has been severely affected by the earthquake.
"NDRF was the first response force to reach Nepal yesterday evening, and today there are 10 teams of NDRF in Kathmandu. Seven teams are working there since morning and three have reached there in the evening. Three teams are working in Bhaktapur area, two teams are in Lalitpur and two in Kathmandu," Inspector General (IG) of the NDRF, Sandeep Rathore, told ANI here.
Rathore said eight people have been saved by the NDRF personnel today and added that 23 dead bodies have been recovered so far.
"Medical first response team is accompanying all our teams to give first aid to those rescued. We had some problems of vehicles, but SSB has provided us with 20 vehicles, and 15 more will be given for the work. DG of NDRF has gone to Kathmandu to oversee NDRF operations," he added.
The government, which has intensified rescue and relief operations in earthquake struck Nepal, will press into service 13 aircrafts by tonight.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a follow-up meeting to review the progress of relief and rescue operations following the major earthquake in Nepal yesterday.
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The Prime Minister was briefed on the work being done by various agencies involved in relief and rescue work, both in India and Nepal. He was also briefed on the situation arising out of the major aftershock that occurred earlier today.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the need for further increasing the pace of search and rescue operations, and evacuation of stranded people from Nepal. He directed that in addition to the air route, the road route should also be used for evacuating stranded people at the earliest. He stressed on the need for ensuring coordination among various agencies involved in relief and rescue operations.
The Prime Minister also said that highest priority be accorded to food and water supplies, including milk powder, to the affected areas.
The death toll from the devastating earthquake, which hit Nepal and northern parts of India on Saturday, climbed over 2,100 even as the rescue efforts intensified in search of survivors in the Himalayan nation's worst temblor in over 80 years.
Earlier in the day, a powerful 6.7-magnitude aftershock jolted Nepal and adjoining areas, triggering panic among the people.
The massive earthquake and the aftershocks left behind a trail of death and destruction in Nepal's capital Kathmandu.