Kathmandu--Rescuers battled Wednesday to reach survivors of a deadly new earthquake in Nepal that triggered landslides and brought down buildings, as the search continued for a US military helicopter that went missing while delivering aid.
Thousands of traumatised survivors spent the night outdoors, afraid to return to their houses after Tuesday's 7.3-magnitude quake hit, less than three weeks after the country was devastated by its deadliest quake in more than 80 years.
Dozens of people were killed in the latest disaster, bringing the overall death toll to more than 8,200 and compounding the already monumental challenge of reaching far-flung mountain communities in desperate need of shelter, food and clean water.
The Nepal army resumed its aerial search for a US Marine Corps helicopter that went missing during a disaster relief operation in the eastern district of Dolakha, near where the latest quake hit.
The Pentagon has said there may have been a problem with fuel on the chopper, which was carrying six US Marines and two Nepal army soldiers when it disappeared.
"The missing helicopter has not been found yet. Four helicopters have been deployed to search for it," said Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, spokesman for the Nepal home ministry.
"It was heading to Dolakha with relief when it lost contact."
Dhakal said 65 people had been confirmed dead so far in the new quake, which was centred 76 kilometres (47 miles) east of Kathmandu, and also killed 17 people in northern India.
"We had been focusing on relief distribution, but from yesterday our resources were deployed for rescue operations again," he said.
Tuesday's quake was felt as far away as New Delhi, and caused buildings to collapse in Tibet in neighbouring China, killing at least one person there. A second tremor and more aftershocks also followed.
AFP
