British newlyweds caught in avalanches in Mt. Qomolangma after Nepal quake

A newly married couple from Britain were caught up in the avalanche in Mount Qomolangma after a major earthquake hit Nepal on Saturday, local media reported.

According to the blog of the newlyweds, Alex Schneider and Sam Chappatte, said they are safe but cut off at a camp. They said they saw an avalanche coming straight at them.

"A blast of wind knocked us down but we were able to get up and run to shelter behind some tents and anchor ourselves with our axes," they wrote on the blog.

Some other British climbers have also posted on social media that they are being stranded on the mount, BBC said.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Saturday said they were in close contact with the Nepalese government, and the British Embassy in Nepal was offering assistance to the authorities and was providing consular assistance to British nationals.

FCO advised people to stay in a place of safety and follow any advice provided by local authorities. It also released contact number for British nationals in Nepal.

Around 40,000 British nationals visited Nepal in 2013, according to FCO, and the current number of Britons in Nepal is unknown.

British charities and experts are joining the rescue efforts in Nepal, including Oxfam, Christian Aid, Save the Children, the British Red Cross and Plan International UK.

"Shelter assistance is urgently needed. Many families have their houses destroyed or damaged and have to stay outside. Nights are cold," said Roger Hodgson, Deputy Country Director for Save the Children in Nepal.

"We are particularly concerned by the situation in some of the most affected districts outside of the Kathmandu Valley. Information coming from these districts is still limited. We are sending assessment teams to these areas," Hodgson added.

Almost 2,000 people are now believed to have been killed in Saturday's earthquake and the death toll is expected to continue to rise. Some 5,000 people were injured. Endit