Death toll from Nepal earthquale exceeds 5,000

The death toll for the 7.8-magnitude earthquake centered in the South Asian nation of Nepal has exceeded 5,000 people.

On Tuesday, Nepal Home Ministry's National Emergency Operation Center put the death toll from the quake at 5,057 people. Nearly 11,000 people have been also wounded in the natural disaster.

Officials have said the toll is expected to rise higher as it could not be said how many bodies remain buried.

Meanwhile, Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has warned that the death toll could reach 10,000.

Italy’s Foreign Ministry  said four of the country’s nationals are believed to be among those killed in the Langtang area, north of the capital, Kathmandu, which is hard to access. The ministry added that about 40 Italians are thought to have been in the area at the time of the quake.

Army forces have been transferring medical kits, dehydrated food, water bottles, rice, and blankets to Gorkha district, about 100 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu, which was the epicenter of the deadly earthquake on April 25.

However, rainfall and poor weather conditions have made it difficult for helicopters to land in some areas.

Gorkha officials say 90 percent of people in rural areas have been affected by situation. Many have lost their homes and have no access to food as they have been cut off by landslides.

The United Nations has estimated that some 8 million people across Nepal have been affected by the incident and that more than 1.4 million people are in need of food assistance.

Nearly 20 mountain climbers, who had gathered on Nepal’s Mount Everest at the start of the climbing season, also lost their lives in an avalanche triggered by the jolt.