BEIJING, April 28 -- China is playing a larger role in efforts to build a "community of common destiny" by mobilizing rescue teams and relief supplies to Nepal following an 8.1-magnitude earthquake.

The earthquake struck Nepal at 2:11 p.m. Beijing time on Saturday, followed by a second 7-magnitude quake at 2:45 p.m.

Tens of thousands of people in the Himalayan nation have been spending chilly nights in the open for the past two days and seeking basic essentials following the devastating quake.

The death toll has climbed to 4,264 people, and more than 7,000 others were injured, the National Emergency Operation Center of Nepal's Home Ministry said on Tuesday.

CHINESE RELIEF TO NEPAL

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force sent four IL-76 planes to Nepal to help with rescue operations, a PLA spokesperson said on Monday.

Two IL-76 planes were dispatched to an airport in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and one plane was placed at an airport in Kunming, capital of nearby Yunnan Province, with the fourth placed in Nanjing in the eastern province of Jiangsu, to transport PLA rescuers and logistics to neighboring Nepal.

"Soldiers for this mission are experienced in conducting overseas military operations," Colonel Shen Jinke said.

The Air Force has thoroughly planned its choice of airports and air routes as well as mission details, Shen said.

The IL-76 transport aircraft is a multi-purpose four-engine aircraft widely used in Europe, Asia and Africa. It is commonly used in transport, for airborne refueling or as a command center.

A team of 55 PLA soldiers left for Nepal on Monday aboard the plane from Kunming. Another team of 45 soldiers left for Nepal on Tuesday.

The soldiers were accompanied by four sniffing dogs, five recovery vehicles and rescue equipment, including life detection equipment and entry tools.

They will conduct rescue operations, provide medical aid and offer psychological counseling after arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital.

A 62-member Chinese search and rescue team, along with six dogs, arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday to become the first international heavy urban search and rescue team in the Himalayan country.

The rescue team members had experience in dozens of international and domestic earthquake rescue missions, including those in the 2008 Wenchuan quake and in Japan, Haiti and Pakistan.

A Chinese medical team also arrived in Nepal to assist the rescue operations.

COMMUNITY OF COMMON DESTINY

Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the international community to provide more help to Nepal and expedite aid delivery in the wake of the massive earthquake.

Wang said Nepal, one of the least developed countries in the region, is in desperate need of international rescue and help.

"Time is life and we should cherish every minute," he said.

President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang sent messages of condolence to Nepalese leaders soon after the quake.

In Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, more than 150 mountaineers are still stranded in two base camps, while the death toll in quake-triggered avalanches in the mount has climbed to 19, authorities said Monday.

More search and rescue teams are on their way to the Buddhist country bordering China.

As a country sometimes haunted by natural disasters, China mainly centered on domestic affairs in disaster relief. In recent years, the rapid economic growth enabled China to contribute more to overseas disaster relief.

China offered 20 million yuan in emergency aid (about 3.4 million U.S. dollars) to Nepal, with aid materials soon to be airlifted to the country.

So far, the world's second largest economy has shown itself as a capable, responsible power. In 2013, China donated one million U.S. dollars to Cambodian flood victims. In 2014, China agreed to provide 50 million yuan to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to support its disaster response capabilities.

China also made great contribution to the fight against Ebola in West Africa.