Nepalese military personnel carry an earthquake victim on a stretcher after she arrives by helicopter from her village in Gorkha, Nepal April 30, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

APPEAL FOR HELICOPTERS

Nepal is appealing to foreign governments for more helicopters. There are currently about 20 Nepali army, private and Indian army helicopters involved in rescue operations, according to Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, a home ministry official.

China is expected to send helicopters on Thursday, he said.

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala told Reuters earlier this week the death toll could reach 10,000, with information on casualties and damage from far-flung villages and towns yet to come in.

That would surpass the 8,500 who died in a 1934 earthquake, the last disaster on this scale to hit the nation of 28 million people sandwiched between India and China.

In Kathmandu and other cities, hospitals quickly overflowed with injured soon after the quake, with many being treated out in the open or not at all.

"The new waves of patients are those who survived the quake, but are sick because they were living in the open and drinking contaminated water," said Binay Pandey, a doctor at the government-run Bir Hospital in the capital.

Pandey said at least 1,200 patients suffering from water-borne illnesses had been admitted in the hospital since Wednesday morning.

Sporadic rains made it difficult for students and volunteers to clean the streets and dispose of garbage.

In the Himalayas, climbing is set to reopen on Mount Qomolangma next week after damage caused by avalanches triggered by the quake is repaired.

A massive avalanche wiped out a swath of Qomolangma base camp, killing 18 climbers and sherpa mountain guides and injuring more than 60 on Saturday. Many climbers have abandoned their ascent of Qomolangma, the world's tallest peak at 8,850 m (29,035 feet).