Nepal to supply relief materials to quake-hit areas

Kathmandu: The Nepali government decided on Sunday to distribute food and other relief materials to areas hit by a strong earthquake.

A cabinet meeting also decided to provide free treatment to the injured.

The distribution of relief materials, including food and tents, will start from Sunday, and the government will bear all the cost of the treatment, said Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet.

"The government will leave no stone unturned for the support," he told the media.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit Jajarkot and Rukum West districts in western Nepal on Friday night, leaving 157 dead and 170 others injured so far, according to Nepal Police.

There was a discussion about providing 300,000 Nepali rupees (about 2,250 U.S. dollars) to each family losing lives in the quake, but no decision was made in the cabinet meeting, said Basnet.

The minister noted that different friendly nations have offered support to Nepal.

"The government will prepare some criteria as to what kinds of support to accept before actually accepting them," he said. (UNI)