Nepal's pain is our pain, says Narendra Modi after massive earthquake batters Kathmandu

New Delhi: With Nepal being hit by a massive earthquake on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised all possible help to it in this "tough" time as he spoke to its President Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

"Nepal's pain is our pain," Modi said while expressing sadness over the loss of lives and property caused by the quake in Nepal as well as in India.

"I have spoken to their Prime Minister and President and assured them that this country of 125 crore is with you," he added while addressing a function here to confer Jnanpith Award 2014 on Marathi author Bhalchandra Nemade.

Earlier, he tweeted, "Spoke to PM Sushil Koirala, who is in transit in Bangkok on his way to Kathmandu. Assured all support & assistance during this tough time."

Extending his sympathy to the victims of both India and Nepal, he said, "The magnitude of the earthquake has disturbed the human heart. The extent of the damage is not yet known. May god give them the strength to deal with the situation.”

Modi, who is personally monitoring the situation, earlier directed immediate dispatch of relief and rescue teams to earthquake-affected areas of the country as well as Nepal and ordered proper arrangements for evacuating stranded tourists from that country.

The quake measuring 7.9 on Richter scale and epicentred in Nepal, killed around 1,500 people as houses and buildings were flattened.