Nepalis Dig Through Quake Rubble For Survivors, PM Says Toll Could Be 10,000

Source: thewillnigeria.com

The death toll from Nepal’s devastating earthquake could reach 10,000, the prime minister said on Tuesday, as residents frustrated by the government’s slow response used their bare hands to dig for signs of their loved ones.

“The government is doing all it can for rescue and relief on a war footing,” Prime Minister Sushil Koirala told Reuters. “It is a challenge and a very difficult hour for Nepal.”

International aid has finally begun arriving in the Himalayan nation of 28 million people, three days after Saturday’s 7.9 magnitude quake, but disbursement is slow. According to the home (interior) ministry, the confirmed death toll stands at 4,349, with more than 7,000 injured.

“The death toll could go up to 10,000 because information from remote villages hit by the earthquake is yet to come in,” Koirala said.

REUTERS