More than 150 rescued Indian nationals returns home from Nepal

MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted: "First aircraft with 55 landed at Delhi at 2220 hrs. Second with 100 and third with 160 have also left Kathmandu."

"#NepalEarthquake update A fourth aircraft with 160 is expected to leave Kathmandu by about 1 am tonight. More flights planned for tomorrow," read his last tweet.

A massive earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit Nepal, leaving more than 1,000 people dead and devastating the Himalayan nation with several buildings, temples and towers being pulled down on Saturday. India, where the tremor was also felt from the north to east, was affected too.

Nepal's Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat tweeted:"Nepal Army estimates death toll as much as 1457 so far. 1055 injured."

"90 percent of approximately 1000 homes and huts reduced to rubble in Barpak Larpak area," he said.

Several parts of the mountainous nation experienced aftershocks following the quake which rocked the nation at around 11.41 a.m  IST (Indian Standard Time) at a depth of 10 km with its epicentral region located in Nepal about 80 Km NW of Kathmandu.

The quake, said to be strongest in Nepal in 80 years.

The epicentre of the earthquake lay 80 km (50 miles) east of Pokhara in Nepal, United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake pulled down buildings, temples and towers, felled trees and electric posts and left yawning cracks on roads across Nepal, specially in Kathmandu, the capital.

The historic Dharara Tower built in the 19th century in Kathmandu collapsed, trapping at least 50 people, Nepal media reported.

Efforts are on to recover more bodies from under heaps of rubble.

The tremors were felt in India and more than 30 people have died in different parts of the nation.

The latitude and Longitude are 28.1 N and 84.6 E respectively, the Indian government said in a statement.