Survivor hopes to fly out

Havelock North woman Soraya Gillbanks watched buildings collapse.

Nepal earthquake survivor Soraya Gillbanks is hoping to fly out of Kathmandu today if flights are permitted.

The 27-year-old Havelock North woman watched buildings crumble around her as a 7.8 magnitude quake struck about 11.45am local time on Saturday.

She spent a night in the street with friend Kristen Mccreghan before heading to a makeshift camp at the Australian Embassy where there was access to food, water and she could phone her mother Carol Waghorn.

"They're calling their little camp, camp Anzac," Ms Waghorn said yesterday.

The Woodford House old girl got in touch 10 minutes after a breaking-news bulletin flashed up during the rugby, to let family know she was alive and "not to worry".

Getting out of Kathmandu was a priority as aftershocks continued to rattle those already stirred by the disaster.

With any luck Ms Gillbanks will fly out today.

"She's actually feeling like she's got the rocks, like she's on a boat, swaying even when there's no movement.

"They also tried to give blood yesterday but there was such a huge queue and with buildings either side they decided against queuing up."

Last night the official death toll for Nepal had reached 4800, with more than 9200 injured and a total of eight million people affected.

It had been a dream of Ms Gillbanks, now based in Perth, to visit Mount Everest, with plans to begin climbing the mountain on Tuesday.

"I am just glad she wasn't up there when it hit and that she's alive, that's the main thing."

Ms Waghorn got a phone call from her neighbour who also had a son trapped in Nepal, after the neighbour read Ms Gillbanks' story in Hawke's Bay Today.

The quake's epicentre was 80km northwest of Kathmandu and it had a depth of 11km, which is considered shallow in geological terms.

Kathmandu Valley is densely populated with nearly 2.5 million people, and the quality of buildings is often poor.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the safety of about 110 New Zealanders in Nepal.