When summarizing the causalties today, the Interior Secretary, L. C Goyal, said that 46 deaths were reported in Bihar and 13 in Uttar Pradesh (adjacent to Nepal), and 3 in West Bengal (more to the south). Other 259 people were injured, he added.

The official said that four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were dispatched to the worst affected areas and added that, if necessary, more support staff and equipment would be sent.

Even though India itself was a victim of the violent quake, the populous South Asian nation was the first to send humanitarian aid to Nepal, where according to the latest reports the deceased amounti to 2,309.

Yesterday India sent 3 planes and 2 helicopters with food, water and medicine, as well as a NDRF team.

Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters that a dozen Air Force helicopters are fulfilling relief and rescue tasks in the small Himalayan nation.

The airlift has enabled to supply the Nepalese residing in the areas most devastated by the earthquake with food, tents, water and medicine.