Nepal Death Toll Tops 5,000; At Least 1.4 Million Need Food Aid

By Christopher Dean Hopkins

Published April 30, 2015 at 6:32 AM CDT

Earthquake survivors warm themselves around a bonfire at a makeshift camp at Tunshikel park in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Tuesday. More than 5,000 people are confirmed dead from Saturday's earthquake.

1 of 12 — Earthquake survivors warm themselves around a bonfire at a makeshift camp at Tunshikel park in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Tuesday. More than 5,000 people are confirmed dead from Saturday's earthquake.

Rishi Khanal is rescued by French emergency workers from the ruins of a three-story hotel in the Gangabu area of Kathmandu. Nearly 11,000 more were injured, according to Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center.

2 of 12 — Rishi Khanal is rescued by French emergency workers from the ruins of a three-story hotel in the Gangabu area of Kathmandu. Nearly 11,000 more were injured, according to Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center.

Nepalese men carry a dead body in the badly damaged capital, Kathmandu. The BBC reports that 1.4 million of the 8 million people affected need food aid, citing the United Nations saying that there also are severe shortages of body bags and medical supplies.

3 of 12 — Nepalese men carry a dead body in the badly damaged capital, Kathmandu. The BBC reports that 1.4 million of the 8 million people affected need food aid, citing the United Nations saying that there also are severe shortages of body bags and medical supplies.

4 of 12 — Residents carry belongings out of their home to use in a temporary shelter in Kathmandu.

Sita Karka, who broke both of her legs during the earthquake, arrives by helicopter in Gorkha to be treated for her injuries. Helicopters crisscrossed the skies above the high mountains of Gorkha district near the epicenter of the weekend earthquake, ferrying the injured to clinics and taking emergency supplies back to remote villages devastated by the disaster.

5 of 12 — Sita Karka, who broke both of her legs during the earthquake, arrives by helicopter in Gorkha to be treated for her injuries. Helicopters crisscrossed the skies above the high mountains of Gorkha district near the epicenter of the weekend earthquake, ferrying the injured to clinics and taking emergency supplies back to remote villages devastated by the disaster.

An earthquake emergency team member walks through debris from one of the UNESCO World Heritage site temples in Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu.

6 of 12 — An earthquake emergency team member walks through debris from one of the UNESCO World Heritage site temples in Basantapur Durbar Square in Kathmandu.

7 of 12 — People walk in front of one of Kathmandu's oldest high schools, which was damaged in the earthquake.

8 of 12 — A Nepalese woman mourns the death of her 9-year-old son during a cremation ceremony in the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.

9 of 12 — Nepalese soldiers load U.S. AID relief sacks at a staging area in Gorkha.

10 of 12 — A man prays next to rubble of a temple destroyed in Saturday's earthquake in Kathmandu.

A Nepalese man cooks food inside a tent as people relocate to open ground from fears of earthquake tremors in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday evening.

11 of 12 — A Nepalese man cooks food inside a tent as people relocate to open ground from fears of earthquake tremors in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday evening.

A man and child wait for ambulances after being evacuated at the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday. The devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday is now blamed for at least 4,000 deaths. <br /><br />

12 of 12 — A man and child wait for ambulances after being evacuated at the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday. The devastating earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday is now blamed for at least 4,000 deaths.

Updated at 8:55 a.m. ET

More than 5,000 people are confirmed dead from Saturday's earthquake just outside Kathmandu, Nepal. Nearly 11,000 more were injured, according to Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center.

From Kathmandu, NPR's Kirk Siegler reports that strong tremors are continuing:

"We had an official bulletin last night, telling people that it was OK for them to return home and sleep indoors tonight. Shortly after that bulletin went out, we had a 4.8 aftershock. So, things still very much evolving here — and a lot of scared and nervous people."

The U.S. State Department confirmed late Monday that four Americans were among those killed in the earthquake, all at an avalanche-struck Mount Everest base camp. The fatalities included a Colorado-based documentary filmmaker and a Google executive, the AP reported.

The BBC reports that 1.4 million of the 8 million people affected need food aid, citing the United Nations saying that there also are severe shortages of body bags and medical supplies.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports Nepalis including Pradip Subba of Kathmandu — frustrated with a lack of aid so far — continue to sift through the rubble by themselves.

" 'Our hands are the only machine right now,' said the 27-year-old, part of a group of locals pulling out blocks of concrete with cloth masks over their faces to ward off the stench of rotting bodies. 'There is just no one from the government or the army to help us.' "

USAID has provided a list of recommended nongovernmental organizations that can take donations to assist those affected by the earthquake.