Death toll from two major earthquakes in Nepal is highest on record

Officials have said that number of lives lost in the two major earthquakes that hit the country within weeks of one another is the highest death toll on record.

Reuters noted that the number of those killed in the disasters has now topped 8,500 and that number may rise as dozens are still missing. At least 112 people unaccounted for are foreigners.

As previously reported, the first of the two quakes hit on April 25 near the capital city of Katmandu and measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. The second one, measuring 7.3, struck last Tuesday and ravaged the Dolakha district.

On Sunday, the home ministry put the current number of deaths at 8,583.

Prior to these tremblers, the deadliest quake to ever hit Nepal was back in 1934. In that disaster 8,519 people died.

Aid and assistance with the recovery efforts have come from countries all over the globe including neighboring India, where the quakes and aftershocks were also felt.

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