Centre rushes relief teams to quake-hit Sikkim

As powerful earthquakes rocked Sikkim, the Central Government tonight swung into action, rushing specialised teams for rescue, relief and medical operations, besides mobilising the Army and Air Force.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling immediately after the quake and offered all possible help.

He directed Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth to urgently convene a meeting of the Crisis Management Group, which took stock of the situation and decided on a series of steps.

After the meeting, Seth told PTI that two IAF planes --C-130J with four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) -- have been sent for rescue and relief operations in Sikkim. He said five more teams of NDRF are being rushed from Kolkata.

Army units have also been mobilised and field hospitals have been activated in Sikkim, he said.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has also been mobilised for restoring normal traffic on NH-31A which connects Sikkim with rest of the country.

"The Prime Minister himself is monitoring the developments connected to the quake," Seth said after the meeting, which was attended by Secretaries of Defence, Home, Health and Information and Broadcasting, among others.

The Cabinet Secretary said the meeting discussed ways in which help could be provided to the quake-hit Sikkim in the wake of the earthquake.

"The Central Government will do everything that is necessary."