Nepali police say that at least 876 people have now been confirmed dead.

Nepali police say that at least 876 people have now been confirmed dead.


Unicef UK has put out an appeal to help those affected by the earthquake in Nepal. Executive director, David Bull said:



We at Unicef are gravely concerned for children in Nepal affected by the devastating 7.9 earthquake which took place this morning. An earthquake of this size can be deadly, toppling buildings, and destroying roads and infrastructure. Unicef is on the ground, evaluating what needs to be done to immediately respond to the needs of those affected. Communications are down and we don’t yet have a full picture of the devastation, but we fear loss of life and homes destroyed. We will be helping to support Nepal’s children in danger from this earthquake and we need your help to do this. Please go to www.unicef.org.uk to donate now.

India is sending troops and resources to Nepal

#NepalEarthquake One C-17 Globemaster III has just taken off carrying 96 NDRF personnel and 15 tonnes of load.

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Mountaineer Alex Gavan, who is in the Himalayas, has tweeted a desperate plea for help.

 

Alex Gavan‏@AlexGAVAN

Huge disaster.Helped searched and rescued victims through huge debris area.Many dead.Much more badly injured.More to die if not heli asap.

Describes the situation on Mount Everest:


As many as 13 people were killed on Everest on Saturday as a massive avalanche – triggered by the earthquake – that swept through base camp. The avalanche trapped other climbers higher on the mountain as those in base camp ran for their lives to escape falling ice and rock.

Pictures from Everest south side base camp showed flattened tents and blocks of rock scattered around a site dusted deep in snow. The avalanche appeared to have swept through the mid section of the strung-out base camp.


Everest base camp is particularly vulnerable situated on a shoulder of rocky glacial moraine below the Kumbu icefall – a maze of crevasses and seracs - through which climbers must navigate an often dangerous path equipped yearly with fixed ropes.

These photos appear to show that the Everest base camp has been badly damaged by the avalanche:

 

Northmen PK‏@NorthmenPK

#Everest base camp after #NepalEarthquake. #NepalQuake

Reuters has spoken to a tourist office official in Nepal, Mohan Krishna Sapkota:


We are facing a tremendous crisis here and it is hard to even assess what the death toll and the extent of damage could be,” said Mohan Krishna Sapkota, a second tourism official. The trekkers are scattered all around the base camp and some had even trekked further up. It is almost impossible to get in touch with anyone.

Around 300,000 foreign tourists were estimated to be in Nepal for the spring trekking and climbing season. Officials have been overwhelmed by calls from concerned friends and relatives.


Relief efforts in Nepal have been hampered because of a collapse in communication. Many of the reported deaths have been in the more populous areas, but there have also been reports of devastation in outlying, isolated mountainous areas.


An Indian tourist to Nepal, Devyani Pant, has described the moment when “tables started trembling and paintings on the wall fell on the ground.” She said: “I screamed and rushed outside. We are now collecting bodies and rushing the injured to the ambulance. We are being forced to pile several bodies one above the other to fit them in.”