Three people found alive days after Nepal earthquake

Donations from the UK appeal to help the victims of the Nepalese earthquake have reached £50 million.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched the Nepal Earthquake Appeal to help aid agencies reach an estimated 310,000 people, providing help in more than 60 villages, camps and towns. DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed expressed his gratitude for the £50 million that has been donated so far.

"We are extremely grateful for the extraordinary generosity of the UK public," he said. "Despite the immense challenges facing those affected and relief efforts, the response continues to grow day by day."

The death toll from the 7.8 magnitude quake has now passed 8,000.

More: Heartbeats of four trapped men led to rescue in Nepal

The family of Matthew Carapiet have confirmed that he was killed in the Nepal earthquake.

The student was touring Asia when he was caught in the disaster and had been missing until his death was confirmed today.

Britons have donated £38 million to the Disasters Emergency Committee Nepal Earthquake Appeal, the group of 13 UK aid charities confirmed.

Chief executive Saleh Saeed said: “Supplies are arriving from India by road and at the one international airport, but damage to the runway is slowing the process. Fuel shortages, limited electricity, damaged roads and landslides are also hampering efforts."

It said the funds would enable DEC members to scale up efforts to reach more of the estimated eight million people affected by the devastating earthquake, which struck west of the capital Kathmandu on April 25.

Rescuers in Nepal are digging through piles of earth and snow on a popular trekking route, where an entire village was buried by a mudslide triggered by the earthquake that struck 10 days ago.

Gautam Rimal, the government administrator of the Rasuwa district, said police and local villagers have recovered 60 bodies from Langtang Valley. Nine of the victims were foreign trekkers, he said.

Runway damage has forced authorities in Nepal to close the main airport to large aircraft delivering aid to millions of people following last week's earthquake.

Bigger planes had been banned because the runway was deteriorating as the huge relief effort began after the quake which has so far claimed 7,057 lives.

Birendra Shrestha, the manager of Tribhuwan International Airport, located on the outskirts of Kathmandu, said the runway was built to handle only medium-size jets and not the large military and cargo planes that have been flying to the airport.

Despite this setback, the UN coordinator for Nepal, Jamie McGoldrick, said the bottlenecks in aid delivery were slowly disappearing.

"I think the problem is there, but it's actually diminishing," he said, adding the Nepalese government eased customs and other bureaucratic hurdles on humanitarian aid following complaints from the UN.

A 101-year-old man has been found alive more than a week after the Nepal earthquake demolished his home.

Funchu Tamang was pulled from the rubble on Saturday with only minor injuries to his ankle and hand.

Police officer Arun Kumar Singh told news agency AFP: "He was brought to the district hospital in a helicopter. His condition is stable."

Police also pulled three women survivors from the the rubble earlier today in Sindhupalchowk, one of the worst-hit districts, although it was not immediately clear how long they had been trapped.

Britain has donated an extra £5.3m to Nepal's quake relief funds to help supply food, clean water and shelter to the millions of people who have been affected by the country's worst earthquake in 80 years.

The money will be split between five different UN aid agencies and according to the government brings the UK contribution to the relief effort up to £22.8m.

International Development minister Justine Greening said: "The UK is standing by Nepal and its people in their hour of need by ensuring lifesaving supplies continue moving around the country and by providing charities on the ground with fast-tracked funding.

"But even more has to be done to make sure these vital supplies keep reaching those who need them. With this latest British boost we will help the UN co-ordinate the relief effort on the ground and ensure everyone affected by this disaster continues to get the support they need."