Nepal earthquake: The moment the avalanche hit
Climbers at the Mount Everest base camp have captured the extraordinary and frightening moment an avalanche came crushing down the mountain following the deadly Nepal earthquake.
Video posted online shows trekkers scrambling for safety as as a wall of snow from the earthquake-triggered avalanche sweeps through their camp.
It comes amid reports an Australian is among 19 people killed at the base camp.
Expedition leaders and organisers on Sunday said the dead include an Australian, an American and a Chinese citizen.
"I have lost four team members in the avalanche - two Nepalis, one Chinese and Australian," said Temba Tsheri Sherpa of the Dreamers' Destination Treks and Expeditions.
"But the situation is so bad, this is only the beginning of bad news."
Emergency rescue workers carry a victim on a stretcher after Dharara tower collapsed on April 25, 2015 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo: Omar Havana/Getty Images
The earthquake on Saturday, the worst to hit Nepal in 80 years, came at peak season for mountaineers attempting an Everest climb.
There were at least 1000 of them at the three sprawling camps and along the slopes of the world's highest mountain.
Climbers have described how a wave of snow and ice landed on the base camp and caught others in the upper reaches unawares.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, the co-ordinator for the Everest rescue efforts, said some of the climbers were stuck at Base Camp II because the avalanche had blocked their way.
"We will find a way to bring them back," he said.
"We have been able to rescue some 65 people today from the Everest base camp who were injured. Our priority was to provide immediate health assistance to these people," he added.
He also said that all but three of the dead bodies were still in the Everest base camp.
"They will be brought back to Kathmandu tomorrow, and then we will know the nationalities of these individuals," he told DPA by phone on Sunday.
Alyssa Azar from Toowoomba was aiming to be the youngest Australian to climb Mount Everest, she survived the earthquake and has been able to post on Facebook. Photo: Facebook
But hundreds of others are still not in contact.
"I would not say they are missing, but between 100 and 150 people are not in communication," Santa Bir Lama, the vice president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association said.
He said most of them were in Base Camp II, which is at 6400 metres, when the earthquake-triggered avalanche hit. Many of them are feared buried under the snow.
A few climbers had been flown from the camps above the base camp, Gavan. But more than 100 were still there.
The strong aftershocks, whose epicentre was close to Mount Everest, was followed by a series of aftershocks and fresh avalanches of lesser scale, climbers wrote on social media sites.
Toll from Nepal earthquake passes 2,350
The official death toll from Nepal's massive earthquake has risen to more than 2,350, according to the country's Interior Ministry.
Spokesman Laxmi Dhakal says a total of 2,352 people are confirmed dead across the country and 5,838 people have been injured.
Officials in India said the toll there now stood at 60, while Chinese state media said 17 people had been killed in the Tibet region.
With scores of people still missing or seriously injured, the death toll is expected to climb further.
Keep trying relatives in Nepal: PM
With several hundred Australians still unaccounted for in Nepal, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged people to keep trying to contact relatives who have travelled there.
Mr Abbott said a lot of people out trekking will be difficult to contact and people should phone the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade if they can't get in touch with their loved ones.
Hundreds of Australians remain unaccounted for after the massive earthquake.
More than 200 Australians have been confirmed safe but 549 were registered with the government as travelling in the area.
Australia has committed $5 million in aid.
Morning news break – April 27
