Nepal earthquake: Second IAF plane brings back 100 more Indians, 155 evacuated

NEW DELHI/KATHMANDU: Another batch of around 100 Indians, who were stranded in earthquake-hit Nepal, were flown back here tonight in an Indian Air Force plane from Kathmandu.

The second batch of around 100 Indians arrived in IAF's C-17 aircraft, which had earlier flown to Kathmandu from here with 96 NDRF members with 15 tonnes of relief material, landed at Palam airport at around 0020 hours, Defence Ministry officials said.

With this a total of around 155 Indians, including four infants, have been brought back, he added.

The first batch of 55 Indians, including four infants, were brought in C-130J aircraft from earthquake-hit country.

The IAF aircraft, had earlier flown National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) members and relief materials from New Delhi to Kathmandu, landed here with 55 Indian evacuees at around 10.45 PM, Defense Ministry spokesperson said.

India had sent C-130J, IL-76 and C-17 planes to Kathmandu to ferry Indian nationals stuck in the Nepalese capital.

The IL-76 plane had flown 153 NDRF members along with 28 tonnes of relief material to Kathmanadu while the C-17 aircraft had carried 96 NDRF members with 15 tonnes of relief material.

Nepal was struck by the worst earthquake in 80 years, leaving nearly 1,500 people dead in flattened houses and buildings.

The quake measuring 7.9 on Richter scale, which was followed by 16 aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 or greater, striking heavy casualties in Kathmandu and injuring thousand others. Hundreds were feared missing across the country.