The first batch of Indians rescued from Nepal arrive at Delhi's Palam airport on Saturday night
55 passengers including four infants were brought to Delhi by an Air Force C-130J aircraft, the first batch of Indians evacuated from Nepal, which has been devastated by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake. Another IAF aircraft, C-17, landed shortly after midnight with 102 passengers. The quake on Saturday morning caused massive damage in Nepal's capital Kathmandu with strong tremors felt across large swathes of Northern India for nearly a minute.
Following are the 10 latest developments:
More than 1100 people are killed in Nepal, according to police. Over 300 have died in Kathmandu, the police said. Two Indians are among those killed, reports news agency Press Trust of India.
In India, over 40 people have died, 32 in Bihar, eight in Uttar Pradesh and three in West Bengal, where 40 children were also injured when a part of their school collapsed in West Bengal's Malda. In Bihar, 133 people are injured.
An avalanche triggered by the deadly earthquake buried a part of the expedition base camp for climbers bound for Mount Everest. An Indian Army mountaineering team found 18 bodies on Mount Everest on Saturday, an army spokesman said. Reports say that most trekking parties that go up to the traditional base camp are fine.
Television footage showed that large numbers of offices and homes had collapsed in Kathmandu, while roads had been split in two by the force of the impact. Internet is down, television is not working and parts of Kathmandu have no electricity.
Tremors were felt in Delhi, nearly 1,100 km away. Some people were seen rushing out of their homes and offices in cities like Kolkata and Jaipur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called an emergency meeting and directed evacuation of tourists and immediate dispatch of relief and rescue teams to Nepal. He also phoned his counterpart Sushil Koirala to pledge India's immediate assistance to Nepal.
The C-130J was the first Indian plane to land in Nepal. It carried three tonnes of medical equipment and a team of 40 members of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF to Kathmandu, Foreign Secretary Jaishankar said.
More planes and rescue helicopters took off soon after. The Indian embassy in Nepal has some damage, Mr Jaishankar said. The daughter of a staff member has died, the ministry said.
The quake was epicentred 81 kilometres northwest of Kathmandu, with walls crumbling and families racing outside of their homes. Initially measured at 7.5 magnitude, the quake was later adjusted to 7.9, with a depth of 15 kilometres.
The Ministry of External Affairs has set up a 24-hour control room. Indians stranded in Kathmandu who want to get in touch with their families in India can contact the embassy in Kathmandu controlroom@mea.gov.in.
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