Death toll in Nepal may touch 10,000, says PM Koirala

Kathmandu: The death toll in Nepal`s devastating earthquake may go up to 10,000, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on Tuesday told the envoys of India, China and the US.

Koirala told the ambassadors that nearly 4,400 people were already dead from Saturday`s temblor, many of the thousands of injured were in serious condition and further hundreds were missing across the country.

All these put together may push up the death toll to 10,000, Koirala`s media advisor Prakash Adhikari told IANS, quoting what the prime minister had told the envoys of the three countries.

Koirala`s assessment would make this worst ever earthquake to hit Nepal.

Koirala also sought more and quicker international aid to provide both immediate assistance to the earthquake victims and to rebuild the country.