Nepal Earthquake Photos: US, Canada Send Respective Disaster Response Units As Death Toll Exceed 2000; Continuing Aftershocks Create Mayhem & Panic

The United States and Canada will be sending their respective disaster assistance response units to help in the search and rescue efforts as the death toll brought by a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake outside the capital Kathmandu on Saturday morning exceeded 2,000. The U.S. and Canada likewise committed to send US$1 million [$1.8 million] and CA$6.1 million [$6.4 million] in aid, respectively.

Aftershocks continue to be felt in the country, creating mayhem & panic, according to a number of Canadians who were in Nepal when the major temblor occurred. Reena Voora, a native of Toronto who was in Nepal for her work with World Vision Canada, quoted by CTV News, said the massive shaking destroyed the ancient pagodas and temples in the area. "The ground began to shake and suddenly all of the nearby buildings were moving," she said. Among these was Kathmandu’s historic Dharahara tower, which, according to TIME, is a 19^th century nine story tall structure building. At least 50 people are reportedly trapped in the building’s rubble.

The earthquake — so huge that its effects were also felt in neighbouring countries India, Bangladesh, China’s region of Tibet and Pakistan — struck Nepal just minutes before noon local time. The epicentre of the earthquake was located about 50 mi (80 km) northwest of Kathmandu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It had a shallow depth of only about 9 mi (15 km) belowground. Officials fear the worst for Lamjung, Gorkha district, the declared epicentre. Prakash Subedi, chief district official, cited by Japan Today, said rescue teams have been hindered to proceed to the area because landslides have blocked the access roads. He said they have deployed teams who have started to trek through the mountain trails just to reach the remote villages. They will also send out helicopters next, he added.

Matt Darvas, from the aid group World Vision, said in a statement that villages near the epicentre “are literally perched on the sides of large mountain faces and are made from simple stone and rock construction.” He added many of these villages are only accessible by 4WD and then foot, noting some villages are “hours and even entire days’ walks away from main roads at the best of times.” He feared many of the villages may have been completely buried by rock falls.

Bruce Kennedy, a Canadian tourist who was standing in an underground pathway in Kathmandu's Thamel Market when the quake struck, described to CTV News Channel that bricks all of a sudden started falling off buildings. There was "mayhem, panic and screaming" everywhere. The Department of Foreign Affairs said Kennedy was one of some 388 Canadians in the country at the time of the earthquake happened. Officials, however, said there could be more in the area since Kennedy was a part of list of individuals who voluntarily report visits to the country.

Nepalese police officials said over 5,000 have been injured. As to the death toll, in Kathmandu alone, over 700 have died. Officials expect the number of both dead and injured to rise in the coming days. Devyani Pant, an Indian tourist, quoted by The Guardian, said she saw bodies of three monks trapped in the debris of a collapsed building. “We are trying to pull the bodies out and look for anyone who is trapped,” she said. She was in a Kathmandu coffee shop when the major earthquake struck. It sent “paintings on the wall to fall to the ground.”

"The reports of the devastation are still coming in and the numbers of people killed, injured and affected by this earthquake continue to rise," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement. "It is clear that very many lives have been lost." According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Bangkok, the earthquake impacted over 6.6 million people in the area. According to Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, Nepal Home Affairs spokesman, the death toll from Saturday's catastrophic earthquake has jumped to 2,263.

Apart from the casualties and destruction in the lowlands, the massive earthquake also set off an avalanche near Mount Everest. At least 17 people have died, according to initial reports. Those who survived the avalanche onslaught were now fighting with officials for plane tickets, The Guardian quoted Pemba Sherpa, a climbing guide. “They want to go back. They are desperate to leave.” Some 300 tourists are believed to be stranded in the area.

“Hundreds of people are feared dead and there are reports of widespread damage to property. The devastation is not confined to some areas of Nepal. Almost the entire country has been hit,” Krishna Prasad Dhakal, the deputy head of Nepal’s embassy in New Delhi, told Reuters.

Apart from the U.S. and Canada, the other nations that had sent or vowed to send aid and assistance include:

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, email: e.misa@ibtimes.com.au.