Earthqauke toll rises to 2600, dozens of British tourists believed dead

The worst and deadliest earthquake to hit Nepal in the past 80 years, has killed over 2600. The dead included 18 climbers who were killed when the earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, including Google executive Daniel Fredinburg in Nepal as part of the Jagged Globe Everest expedition.

The toll in the massive earthquake that devastated Nepal rose to over 2, 600 on Sunday, the government said.

Nepal’s ministry of home affairs said at least 2, 480 people were dead, while 5,850 were injured, according to reports received till 6 p.m. on Sunday.

The worst affected districts were Kathmandu, Sindhupalchowk, Lalitpur, Gorkha and Bhaktapur.

The government said search and rescue operations were on and the toll may rise further.

Tent cities have sprung up for those displaced by the earthquake in Nepal.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond expressed his sympathy for the victims of the quake, offering help to any Britons stuck in Nepal. “My thoughts are with the people of Nepal and everyone affected by the terrible loss of life and catastrophic damages “ he said. “ The British Embassy in Nepal is offering our assistance to the authorities and is providing consular services to British Nationals”.

Over 1350 were confirmed dead including 880 people in Nepal, with another 20 in India, six in Tibet , Two in Bangladesh, 2 in China-Nepal Border. Nepal’s capital Kathmandu population of more than one million – was the worst hit.