The Centre on Monday dispatched National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to earthquake hit areas of North-East. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was in Guwahati, had coordinated with officials in Delhi and took stock of the situation with State Governments and Chief Ministers of the region. He also directed his deputy Kiren Rijiju to stay back in Arunachal Pradesh to monitor the relief and rescue operations and coordination.
Rajnath had directed several NDRF units located in various locations near North Eastern region to rush to the various locations of the affected areas. The Home Ministry is actively monitoring the situation after the earthquake in the Northeastern region. NDRF teams, including
from Guwahati, have rushed to the affected areas, said Rajnath. He briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone about the situation and the steps taken for rescue and relief.
The Prime Minister said in a tweet that he has asked Singh to oversee the situation arising out of the quake. A Home Ministry spokesperson said that the National Crisis Management Committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha held a meeting to review the situation.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi expressed deep distress at the reported deaths and destruction caused by the earthquake in North Eastern States. The Congress has asked its Chief Ministers in the region to ensure immediate relief and rescue operations besides asking the party’s units and frontal organisations to aid the relief works. Sonia also hoped and prayed that casualties and destruction remain limited.
Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi also urged party workers and members of the other affiliated organisations to help the earthquake-hit people of Manipur and other north-eastern States. “My prayers are with the people of Manipur and other north eastern states affected by the earthquake this morning,” he tweeted.