The earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday has killed at least 1,805 people, an official statement said on Sunday.
The earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre in Lamjung district, around 75 km northwest of capital Kathmandu.
Following the massive quake, over 50 aftershocks were also felt.
The statement issued by the Nepal home ministry states that the quake has killed 500 people in Kathmandu alone while 164 people, mostly women and children, died in Bhaktapur and 66 in Lalitpur, Kantipur News reported.
The number of casualties may rise, the statement said.
The maximum deaths have been reported in Sindhupalchowk district where 80 people lost their lives.
The quake has killed 70 in Rasuwa, 57 in Kavre, 40 in Gorkha, 35 in Dhading, 10 in Okhaldhunga, nine in Makwanpur, six in Sunsari and two each in Bhojpur and Solukhumbu.
Historical monuments such as Dharhara and Basantapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square have been completely destroyed by the tremors.
In the wake of the disaster, the government has declared national crisis and established a fund of 500 million Nepali rupees (about $4 million) for the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructures.
The tremor also shook India, Tibet, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
At least 36 people -- 25 in Bihar, eight in Uttar Pradesh and three in West Bengal -- were killed and more than 100 injured in India.
The impact was felt in many states in India, particularly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal and Delhi.
At least two Indians have died in Nepal.
The powerful earthquake also affected Tibet and led to the death of 17 people and injured 53.
Canada to send disaster aid team, $5 million to earthquake-stricken Nepal
TORONTO — The Canadian government is sending a disaster assessment team to earthquake stricken Nepal and contributing $5 million to relief efforts, Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson's office said late Saturday.
The assessment team was part of the Disaster Assistance Response Team, known as DART, Johanna Quinney, Nicholson's press secretary, said in an email. The military team is designed to deploy on short notice to deal with natural disasters or humanitarian emergencies.
Nicholson spoke to his Nepalese counterpart on Saturday to express Canada's condolences and offer Canadian aid, Quinney said.
A government source earlier Saturday said the assessment team was to head to Nepal to determine how the DART could be used most effectively. Efforts were in the works to try to fly some elements of the DART closer to the region, the source said. The Canadian government did not say Saturday when a decision would be made on deploying the full DART to Nepal.
Nepalese officials put the death toll from the 7.8-magnitude quake at 1,805. The quake reduced ancient buildings to rubble and left many Canadian families anxiously awaiting news of loved ones. The quake hit Nepal's densely populated Kathmandu Valley hardest, but it was also felt in other countries in the region including India and Bangladesh.
Toronto aid worker Reena Vohra was walking through a narrow alley in Bhaktapur when the quake hit. She ran to a nearby shop entrance, where she watched in horror as the historic city crumbled.
"People were screaming and crying all around me," she said a statement provided by World Vision. "I'm still incredibly shaken up. I've never experienced anything like this."
International Trade Minister Christian Paradis said in a statement that the $5 million Canadian contribution would help to provide people with access to food, drinking water, shelter and health, hygiene and protection services.
He said the government will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further assistance if required to help meet life-saving needs.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement earlier Saturday in which he offered his deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones.
"We mourn with the people of Nepal and India in the aftermath of this terrible natural disaster and offer our help and our prayers," he said.
The Foreign Affairs Department said there are 388 Canadians registered as being in Nepal, but cautioned that is only an estimate as registration is voluntary.
Among the Canadians in Nepal is former New Brunswick NDP leader Elizabeth Weir, who tweeted Saturday, "Outside Kathmandu and still aftershocks with ground rumbling."
Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Diana Khaddaj said Canadian diplomats in Ottawa and in the region were working with local authorities to help Canadians in the region.
Some families were turning to social media in an effort to track down relatives in the quake-stricken area. A number of people tweeted asking if anyone heard from their loved ones.
Michael Magee, chief of staff for Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, awoke to a phone call early Saturday assuring him his 20-year-old son Aedan was safe in a campsite outside Pokhara.
Aedan had been staying with a Nepalese family in Pokhara, near the deadly epicentre of the quake. But he recently left the city for a hike in the mountains with other students in his university program.
"We dodged a bullet," said Magee. "It's nerve-wracking. I feel terrible and heartsick for the tragedy and what it means. At the same time I'm relieved to have word immediately that my son is safe."
Anil Thapa, president of a Nepalese Canadian group called NRN-Canada, said his parents and siblings in Kathmandu are safe but some generations-old property was destroyed.
Thapa said he was lucky as many Nepalese Canadians are still waiting to hear from loved ones.
"Everybody is going through pain, to see the beautiful country turned to dust, everybody on the street and dying," he said. "We feel so much sorrow."
Fresh tremors rock Delhi, northern India
Fresh quake rocked the entire northeastern India and adjoining areas on Sunday, a Met official said.
There are no immediate report of loss of life or properties from anywhere in the region, comprising eight states.
"A moderate intensity earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit most parts of northeastern states and Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh," Tripura meteorological department director Dilip Saha told IANS in Agartala.
"The earthquake occurred at 12.39 p.m. Reports of any loss of life and property are yet to be received," he added.
Disaster management control rooms of Tripura, Mizoram and other states in mountainous northeast said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage to property.
The Met Office said the epicentre of the fresh earthquake was also in Nepal.
"The tremors were also felt in most of the eastern states, Bangladesh and Myanmar," the official said.
The northeastern region, comprising eight hilly states, is considered the sixth major earthquake-prone belt (zone five) in the world.
India's aid to Nepal named 'Operation Maitri'
The Indian Army has named the aid to Nepal 'Operation Maitri' or friendship, a day after it started extending help to the neighbouring country that was hit by a massive earthquake just before noon on Saturday, leaving a trail of death and destruction.
In addition to the specialist teams of its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), India has already moved large amounts of relief material to the Himalayan kingdom, besides its Air Force moving essential supplies to Nepal and flying back over 500 of its stranded citizens from its capital Kathmandu since late Saturday.
"India is moving in massive amount of rescue and relief material, equipment and specialists the second day (Sunday)," said Sitanshu Kar, the spokesperson for the defence ministry.
"Ten flights are planned for Kathmandu today (Sunday). These would be airlifting army's forward hospitals, engineering task forces, water, food, National Disaster Response Force teams, medical personnel and equipment, blankets and tents."
India will wipe tears of every Nepali: Modi
India is with the "sisters and brothers" of Nepal in its time of crisis following the terrible earthquake, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his radio address 'Mann ki Baat' on Sunday.
"We will wipe the tears of every Nepali, hold their hands and give every support," Modi said.
Modi said the earthquake that hit Nepal and also affected many parts of India has "shaken the whole world".
He said India is assisting with relief and rescue operations in every way it can.
