The death toll from last week's massive earthquake in Nepal has surpassed 7,000, Nepal's National Emergency Operation Centre said Saturday.
In total, 7,040 people, including at least 54 foreigners, have died from the magnitude-7.8 earthquake, the agency said. At least 14,000 others were injured.
The startling new numbers came hours after a U.N. official said that customs inspections at Kathmandu airport are holding up vital relief supplies for survivors in Nepal.
United Nations Resident Representative Jamie McGoldrick said the government must loosen its normal customs restrictions to deal with the increasing flow of relief material now pouring in from abroad and piling up at the airport.
But the government, complaining it has received such unneeded supplies as tuna and mayonnaise, insisted its customs agents had to check all emergency shipments.