500 dead in quake: Nepal official

New Delhi: As many as 500 people were killed in a major earthquake that rocked Nepal on Saturday, a Nepalese official said here.

Deputy Chief of Mission of Nepal High Commission in New Delhi, Krishna Prasad Dhakal, told the media that according to local reports reaching here, at least 500 people have been killed across Nepal.

"We are trying to ascertain the exact number (of casualties)," he said.

He also said that the Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, who had gone to Thailand on an official visit, is cutting short his sojourn and coming back immediately.