A dozen West Australians missing in Nepal

West Australians are among those still registered as missing in the wake of the worst earthquake to hit Nepal in more than 80 years.

About a dozen West Australians have not contacted family since the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday.

Greg Kent, 63, and his 37-year-old daughter Donna are among those registered as missing by loved ones on a Red Cross website.

The last registered location for 33-year-old Bunbury man Luke Grieve was the Mount Everest base camp where at least 19 people have been killed in avalanches, including 49-year-old Melbourne woman Renu Fotedar.

Angus Caithness, 36, Jalada Wilson, 18, Anna Barbara Speirs, 25, and Claire Vanderplank, 33, have also been reported missing by friends and family.

Blake Penson, 34, managed to call his parents in Perth with a satellite phone from Mount Everest Camp 2, about 1000 metres above base camp, soon after the first tremor struck on Saturday.

His father Michael Penson said avalanches had destroyed the route between the bases but his son was OK.

"They can't climb up and can't climb down," Mr Penson said.

The earthquake was the worst to hit the country in 81 years, killing more than 3600 people and injuring at least 6500 others.

Rescue efforts in Nepal have been hampered by powerful aftershocks, including a 6.7-magnitude tremor that struck about 1pm local time on Sunday.

Ballantyne Paige Forder, 22, Callumn Shally, 21, Shannen Wynne, 20, Brooke O'Keefe, 31, and Karen Lee Jury, 44, are among those from WA who have been able to get in touch with family back home.

Ms Jury's mother Heather told AAP it was a huge relief when her daughter, who had been volunteering in the Mustang District near Kathmandu, messaged her on Facebook on Sunday.

"She was actually river rafting when it happened and they spent the night on the banks of the river," Ms Jury said.

"She's staying there, she's not even going to try and get into the city for a couple of days.

"It was a huge relief, we always hoped for the best but not knowing where she was, was the worst."


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Source: AAP


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