Nepal earthquake death toll hits 800

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake has
struck the Himalayan nation of
Nepal, with reports of extensive
damages to property and loss of
life. Police said that at least 876
people were killed on Saturday in
the powerful quake that shook
80km east of Pokhara, about half
way between the town and the
capital Kathmandu. A home
ministry official said at least 467
people were killed in the
Kathmandu Valley, that is the most
heavily populated part of the
Himalyan country. The earthquake
destroyed many historical
landmarks, including the UNESCO
World Heritage temples at
Basantapur Durbar Square and the
Dharara tower, both in central
Kathmandu. The US Geological
Survey said the quake hit at
11:56am local time (06:11 GMT). It
initially reported a magnitude 7.7
before revising the calculation to
7.5 and later upgraded to 7.9.