Kathmandu, April 27 (IANS): Nepal has called on foreign countries, including neighbouring India and China, to provide more support as tens of thousands of people are in dire need of relief and support following a massive 7.9-magnitude earthquake on Saturday followed by strong aftershocks.

During a meeting with over two dozen Kathmandu-based ambassadors and diplomats on Monday, Nepal's Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey sought more support, and medical and rescue teams from their respective countries.

"The minister informed the diplomats about the situation in Nepal following the devastating earthquake," foreign ministry spokesperson Tara Prasad Pokharel told Xinhua news agency.

According to Pokharel, the minister expressed thanks to the ambassadors and their respective countries for ongoing support and also requested for more support in the rescue operation.

Meanwhile, blood donation programmes were being held in capital Kathmandu to collect blood for the survivors of the disaster. However, the demand for blood from the hospitals in the past two days has been at low levels so far, according to Red Cross.

Nepal has a storage of 800 units of blood in the blood bank that is sufficient following Saturday's powerful earthquake, the Nepal Red Cross Society's Central Blood Transfusion Service said on Monday.

The toll from the devastating quake has risen to 3,726, including 931 in Kathmandu alone, while 6,944 people were injured, according to the home ministry.