Nepal earthquake: Death toll rises above 3,000

(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) At least 3,218 people died and more than 6,500 people have been injured in a massive earthquake that hit Nepal on Saturday, authorities in Nepal announced.

Dozens of people are also reported to have been killed in neighboring China and India.

The BBC said on Monday that thousands have spent a second night outdoors after the 7.8-magnitude quake, which also triggered deadly avalanches on Mount Everest, adding that vast tent cities have sprung up in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, for those displaced or afraid to return to their homes as strong aftershocks continue.

Rescue missions and aid have started arriving to help cope with the aftermath of the earthquake, the worst to hit Nepal for more than 80 years.

Efforts to dig victims out from under the rubble of collapsed buildings in Kathmandu are also continuing.

Reports suggest that many communities - especially those close to mountainsides - have suffered significant damage from the quake.