Death toll from Nepal earthquake climbs to 1896: government official

KATHMANDU, April 26 -- The death toll from a powerful earthquake which struck Nepal at midday on Saturday has climbed to 1, 896 including 723 in the Nepal's capital Kathmandu, a senior government official told Xinhua on Sunday morning.

"The number of death has reached 1, 896 so far. It can be increased as we are waiting for the more details about number of deaths and the ratio of damages from different districts," spokesperson for the Home Ministry Laxmi Prasad Dhakal said.

The Nepal government has intensified the rescue operation, the spokesperson said.

The powerful earthquake jolted central, western, mid-western and far-western parts of Nepal, leaving tens and hundreds of people injured and causing damage to properties worth over billion U.S. dollars. "We are yet to confirm the ratio of damage caused by the earthquake," Dhakal said.

The major 20 districts badly affected by the earthquake are capital city Kathmandu, Gorkha, Lamjung, Dhading, among others.

During their reporting, Xinhua Correspondents in Kathmandu witnessed thousands of deaths and the similar number of injured people in different hospitals based in the Kathmandu on Sunday morning.

According to the recent data obtained from the Tribhuwan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), a total of 130 people died in course of treatment while 15,00 people are still undergoing treatment.

Similarly, over 100 people died at Bir Hospital during the treatment and over 5, 00 are still receiving treatment.

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal at midday on Saturday. The powerful quake, which was followed by at least 14 aftershocks, also jolted parts of India, and was felt in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

At least 300 bodies were retrieved from damaged buildings in the capital.

Meanwhile, a total of 17 bodies have been recovered from a base camp on Mount Qomolangma where hundreds of mountain climbers are stranded after the earthquake. The quake triggered an avalanche which buried the base camp.

Xinhua reporter in the capital said the Kathamandu airport now is in chaos where people are rushing to leave after the devastating quake.

In Kathmandu, thousands of people had spent the night in pavements, parks and fields for fearing of aftershocks, Xinhua reporter said. A 6.6-magnitude aftershock struck about an hour later after the initial tremor.

Four Chinese nationals, including two workers with a Chinese company, a mountain climber and a tourist, were killed and five others seriously injured in the quake, the Chinese Embassy confirmed.

Rescue operations are underway by the Nepal Army, Police and Armed Police Force but they are slow in the remote areas of the country due to lack of equipment.

An emergency cabinet meeting has announced 29 districts in the country as crisis zones, according to the Home Ministry.

Amid the devastating disaster, the government of Nepal has appealed for assistance from the international community.