Kathmandu, Nepal (CNN)
[Breaking news update, posted at 11 p.m. ET]
The
death toll in Nepal from the devastating earthquake that struck two
days ago has risen to 3,218, Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman
Laxmi Dhakal said Monday. The spokesman said there were reports that
the number of people injured now stands at 6,535.
[Previous story, posted at 10:29 p.m. ET]
The video captures a rare bright moment amid the death and dark devastation in Nepal.
It
shows uniformed officers digging though rubble, desperately trying to
free a man who is hurt but alive. Rescuers lift him up, and cheers of
joy erupt from the crowd. The clip on Nepal State Television shows him
being put on a stretcher and carried to safety.
As
day broke on Monday, Nepal was still in survival mode after suffering a
series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks over the weekend. At
least 2,430 people died in Nepal alone, and that number is sure to
climb. Including fatalities in India and China, more than 2,500 were
killed.
Survivors look for others to save in what's left but usually only find bodies.
The
damage was everywhere. Stunned residents wandered the streets of
Kathmandu, the capital city of 3 million people that's now the focus of
world disaster relief efforts. They dug through piles of debris where
their homes once stood, seeking pieces of their former lives and,
possibly, family members. Many injured were treated outside overflowing
hospitals, where crowds of people gathered looking for relatives.
One of the world's most scenic spots became a panorama of devastation in minutes.
"The
journey towards my family home in Sitapaila was a map of quake
destruction, with many houses -- old and new -- torn apart," wrote
freelance journalist Sunir Pandey. "A high wall surrounding a monastery
had collapsed and the nuns had run to a nearby field. A mud-and-brick
cottage had fallen on a blue motorbike but no trace could be found of
its rider. Everywhere, survivors gathered wherever they could find open
space -- fields, private compounds, empty roadside lots."
Powerful earthquake hits Nepal 42 photos
At
night, many Nepalis slept in the open, shivering in the frigid air of
the Himalayan Mountains but at least safe from falling debris. One
visitor decided not to.
"The entire city was under darkness," Christina Berry of England wrote for CNN affiliate IBN.
"There was not a single light anywhere. The power supply had been cut
off. Our caring hotel manager gave us some food and some candles, too.
Me and Alexandra were so scared. We slept in the open verandah of the
hotel fearing more quakes in the night."
CNN
producer Ingrid Formanek, who arrived Sunday night, said Kathmandu
"looks like a city where buildings have been abandoned. People are
hanging out in public squares and at intersections to avoid rubble from
buildings."
"We were able to drive the
main road to the hotel we're staying at, but they're not allowing anyone
inside because of the aftershocks. The guests are in a big tent used
for functions on the lawn. People are squeezed in. There are probably
about 100 people in there," Formanek said. "The tents are covered, but
water is seeping in from streets puddled with water, especially around
the edges of the tent. " See More:http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/26/asia/nepal-earthquake/index.html
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