Worst Earthquake to hit Nepal in 80 years kills more than 500 people, topples historic buildings and triggers avalanches

Tribune International coverage of developments in Nepal following 7.9 magnitude quake near Kathmandu

Death toll from Nepal quake jumps to over 500: Nepal Home Ministry

The death toll from a 7.9 magnitude earthquake which struck Nepal on Saturay has left at least 449 people dead, sources confirmed.

Deputy Chief of Mission of Nepal High Commission in New Delhi, Krishna Prasad Dhakal, told the media that according to local reports reaching here, at least 500 people have been killed across Nepal.The quake measuring 7.9 is the strongest to hit the country in 81 years.

Hundreds feared dead after Nepal earthquake

A massive earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale has killed more than 100 people and caused extensive damage in the capital of Nepal and throughout the densely populated Kathmandu Valley region.

Initial police estimates put the death toll at 108, but this number could rise, due to the high number of large families that live in Kathmandu’s poorly constructed buildings. Hundreds of people are feared dead and there are reports of widespread damage to property. The devastation is not confined to some areas of Nepal. Almost the entire country has been hit.

The quake, which struck just before noon on Saturday, is the worst to hit the poverty-stricken Himalayan nation in 80 years.

The earthquake also shook several cities across northern India, and was felt as far away as in Pakistan, Tibet, and Bangladesh.

“Hundreds of people are feared dead and there are reports of widespread damage to property. The devastation is not confined to some areas of Nepal. Almost the entire country has been hit,” said the deputy chief of mission at Nepal’s Embassy in New Delhi.

“We are totally cut off from most parts of our country,” said Ram Narayan Pandey of the Nepal Disaster Management Authority, who was coordinating relief efforts from Kathmandu.

Several buildings, including the landmark Dharahara tower, were reduced to rubble in Kathmandu.

Earthquake collapses Nepal’s historic Dharara Tower

A number of buildings collapsed in the central district of the Kathmandu city, including historic temples, which are hundreds of years old.

A 19th century tower toppled trapping 50 people inside, local media reported. The Dharahara Tower was built in 1832 and had been open to visitors for the last 10 years.

Many of the injured in the capital city, which is home to 700,000 people, have been rushed to the main hospital with broken limbs ands arms for treatment.

Nepal's iconic Dharara Tower before and after the earthquake — Nepal’s iconic Dharara Tower before and after the earthquake

Devastating Nepal earthquake triggers avalanches

A powerful earthquake in Nepal on Saturday triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, climbers said, raising fears for those on the world’s highest peak a year after another avalanche caused the deadliest incident on the mountain.

An official from the Nepal tourist board confirmed that part of Everest base camp had been buried.

Romanian climber Alex Gavan said on Twitter that there had been a “huge avalanche” and “many, many” people were up on the mountain.

Everest base camp huge earthquaqe then huge avalanche from pumori.Running for life from my tent. Unhurt. Many many people up the mountain.

— Alex Gavan (@AlexGAVAN) April 25, 2015