Death Toll Rises in Aftermath of Himalayan Quake

Heavy rain and landslides are complicating the search for survivors of a 6.9 earthquake that has killed at least 53 people in an isolated Himalayan region straddling India, Nepal and China. The quake, centered in India’s northern state of Sikkim, killed at least 63 people and left many other missing.

More than 5,000 Indian Army forces have been deployed to aid in earthquake rescue efforts in India’s mountainous Sikkim state.

The 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the region Sunday evening, knocking out electrical power and disrupting communications.

Read more: VOANews.com