24 hour control room in Ministry of External Affairs, Nepal thanks India for assistance

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Nepal, a control room has been set up in Ministry of External Affairs to provide all help and information round the clock.

The numbers to the 24-hour Control Room are +91 11 2301 2113, +91 11 2301 4104 and +91 11 2301 7905, an official statement said.

Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh has expressed solidarity with Nepal, saying India stands by it in this hour of distress.

"Will be our endeavour to extend all support & assistance to those affected," he tweeted.

Ambassador-designate of Nepal here Deep Kumar Upadhyay said his country needs mobile medical assistant units from India, besides other help.

Spoke to PM Sushil Koirala, who is in transit in Bangkok on his way to Kathmandu. Assured all support & assistance during this tough time.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 25, 2015

He thanked India for stepping in and offering help saying, "We have been in touch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Our President is in touch with them and they have offered to help us. I thank India on behalf of Nepal for assisting us".

India on Saturday rushed two plane loads of relief material and rescue personnel to Nepal that was devastated by an earthquake in the morning.

The defence ministry said that two C-17 Globemasters took off from the Hindon airbase.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy to assess the situation in the states bordering Nepal after a massive earthquake hit the Himalayan country.

The prime minister also called a meeting with ministers and top government officials to discuss the situation.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the quake, measuring 6 on the Richter scale in Delhi, had a depth of 10 km and its impact lasted up to one minute.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicentre was in Nepal's Lamjung, a district some 75 km from Kathmandu. The aftershocks were felt even half-an-hour after the quake.

Modi instructed Rudy to take stock of the situation in the districts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh that are along the Nepal border.

He also spoke to the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Sikkim. He was also trying to speak to his Nepal counterpart Sushil Koirala, who is abroad.

The Prime Minister's Office tweeted: "Modi has spoken to Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav."

The PMO has also spoken to the Indian embassy in Bhutan. The embassy is in touch with top Bhutan officials as well, the statement added.