More than 2,500 people have been killed in the aftermath of Nepal’s worst earthquake in more than eight decades.
The original earthquake on Saturday was centered outside Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, but set off avalanches around Mount Everest and aftershocks that were felt in India and Bangladesh as well. At least 2,430 people died in Nepal and another 61 were killed in neighboring countries, authorities said Sunday.
Occurring shortly before noon on Saturday, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake destroyed highways, toppled buildings and flattened Kathmandu’s historic center. It triggered an avalanche that buried part of a base camp, killing or injuring at least 80 people there.
It was unclear how many more dead and injured would be discovered as the search and rescue efforts continued Sunday. The United States Geological Survey counted 12 aftershocks, one measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale.
Thousands of people have been displaced in the disaster and hospitals are struggling to accommodate the number of injured, although outside aid and supplies have started arriving in the country.
“The aftershocks keep coming … so people don’t know what to expect,” Sanjay Karki, Nepal country head for global aid agency Mercy Corps, told the Associated Press. “All the open spaces in Kathmandu are packed with people who are camping outdoors. When the aftershocks come you cannot imagine the fear. You can hear women and children crying.”
Besides flattening parts of Kathmandu, the quake severely damaged a number of ancient historic sites. It also toppled the nine-story Dharahara Tower, which was built in 1832. The earthquake was Nepal’s worst since one that occurred in 1934, killing around 8,500 people.
