Over 5,000 dead in Nepal quake; 1,600 tourists rescued

 The toll in the massive earthquake that devastated Nepal on April 25 crossed 5,000 on Wednesday, Sindhupalchok being the worst affected district with 1,400 deaths, the government said.

The home ministry said it has so far recorded 5,006 deaths across the country.

The National Emergency Operation Centre - which operates under the home ministry - said 10,224 were injured in the 7.9-magnitude quake and its aftershocks.

Kathmandu district recorded 1,039 deaths, Bhaktapur 250 and Lalitpur 159.

Meanwhile, a joint rescue team of the Nepalese Army, the Armed Police Force and Nepal Police has rescued 1,600 tourists from Manang and Mustang and brought them to Pokhara.

Ten tourists from various countries were killed in the earthquake. Four died in Kathmandu, five in Solukhumbu, and one in Makawanpur districts.

The government said rescue operations were on in full swing in Sindhupalchok, Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Dhading, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Kavrepalanchowk, Gorkha and Rasuwa.

Rescue teams from India, Sri Lanka, China, Turkey, the Netherlands, Poland, Germany, France, Israel, Malaysia and Japan have been deployed in various places of the Kathmandu Valley.

A rescue team from Britain has been deployed in Sindhupalchowk district, while nine foreign medical teams are working in various affected areas.

According to the home ministry, the Sri Lankan team rescued a youth alive from Balaju area. - IANS