Nepal declared a three-day national mourning for the more than 5000 victims of the disastrous earthquake, which hit the country on Saturday.

Nepal's Prime Minister Sushil Koirala said that the government was doing all it could, but was overwhelmed by the scale of the natural disaster, the BBC reports.

Rescue workers were still struggling to access remote areas of the Himalayas, with the heavy rain worsening the situation.

According to UN estimates, eight million people in 39 districts were affected by the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.8.

More than a quarter of Nepal's population was affected with the death toll exceeding 5000 people, while more than 10 000 were injured, but the figures are constantly rising.

Eighteen climbers, who were at the base camp of Mount Everest were killed when the earthquake caused an avalanche.

Rescue teams are experiencing lack of equipment and expert personnel, while landslips and aftershocks around the epicentre of the earthquake are additionally hampering their recovery efforts.

Helicopters had dropped tents, dry food and medicines to remote villages, but many isolated communities were still to be reached.

The international community has immediately responded to the natural disaster, with some countries sending aircraft to aid the rescue efforts, while international organisations launched fundraising campaigns.

The economic damages have been estimated at USD 5 B, while the death toll is expected to reach 10 000.

Up to 250 people were declared missing after an avalanche hit Rasuwa in eastern Nepal on Tuesday.

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