Death toll from Nepal earthquake exceeds 1,800

While Nepalese officials report that the death toll from Saturday's earthquake has surpassed 1,800, rescue and relief efforts continue on Sunday to assist the victims. According to Reuters, many people on Sunday are working with bare hands to discover, identify, and extract the injured and deceased from under the rubble. Nepalese officials state that at least 1,805 people were killed and over 4,700 injured in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday. Reports indicate that the earthquake on April 25 was the deadliest in Nepal in over 80 years. The epicenter of the 7.8 magnitude quake was reported to be 80 kilometers east of the densely populated city of Pokhara. The Nepalese government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas and requested international assistance to address this crisis. Minindra Rajil, the Minister of Information of Nepal, stated, "We seek help from those international organizations and agencies that have the necessary experience in dealing with such crises." Meanwhile, reports indicate that tens of thousands of people in Nepal spent the night outdoors. Survivors of the earthquake, including those whose homes were not destroyed, are fearful of returning to their homes. A large portion of the earthquake-affected areas still lacks water. Local officials have reported that strong aftershocks on Sunday morning have disrupted rescue operations. An avalanche in the Everest base camps on Saturday also resulted in the deaths of at least eight people. Nepalese officials say that among the victims are climbers of foreign nationalities. Indian officials have also reported that the earthquake left at least 34 dead in their country. The Nepalese Ministry of Tourism has announced that at least 300,000 foreign tourists are currently in Nepal coinciding with the spring season and the start of the climbing season. On another note, the Iranian Football Federation has announced that all members of the Iranian girls' under-14 football team who traveled to Nepal are safe and unharmed. The historic Dharahara tower, standing at sixty-two meters, was destroyed in this earthquake. The earthquake in 1934 in Nepal resulted in over 8,500 deaths.