Ramdev safe in Kathmandu, expresses grief over destruction

New Delhi, April 25: Yoga guru Ramdev, who is in Kathmandu for a yoga camp, is safe, his spokesperson said on Saturday after a massive earthquake shook Nepal and parts of India on Saturday morning, causing widespread devastation.

Ramdev had gone there to conduct a five-day session being organised by Patanjali, Nepal chapter.

"Our sessions were from 5 a.m to 7.30 a.m. He then went to a different camp and at the time of the earthquake he was coming out from that session," Ramdev's spokesperson S.K. Tijarawala told IANS.

"Also after a few minutes he came out of the 'pandal', it collapsed. And when he moved further away, he saw a multi-storey building collapse in front of his eyes," he added.

According to Tijarawala, Ramdev is fine and has expressed grief and shock at this natural calamity. "He has assured Nepal that India will be by their side."

"We have already mobilised thousands of our supporters to be active in rescue operations and other ground work required during this time of grief," he added.

The earthquake measuring a staggering 7.9 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre at Nepal's Lamjung district some 75 km northwest of Kathmandu, led to major infrastructure destruction and loss of life.

As per Nepal officials, the death toll has shot up to around 500 people.

IANS