MUMBAI: Al Jazeera, which was one of the first news outlets to report live on the earthquake that devastated Nepal on 25 April, has further strengthened its coverage in the mountain country.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake has been described as one of the worst to hit Nepal in decades, with the most recent death toll of over 4000 expected to rise significantly.

Al Jazeera English’s Nepal correspondent Subina Shrestha was live from Kathmandu minutes after the earthquake struck, feeding through immediate audio and visual reports as the situation unfolded. Initial reports were followed by updates from senior correspondent Andrew Simmons, who arrived in Nepal on 26 April.

Al Jazeera correspondents Faiz Jamil and So Rahman have since joined the network's newsgathering team in Kathmandu. In the coming days, coverage will focus on the relief effort, the impact on remote areas of the country and reaction from the Nepalese community living abroad. A special half hour live broadcast scheduled for 0600GMT on 2 May will mark one week since the earthquake hit.

Al Jazeera English director of news Salah Negm said, “Nepal has experienced a shocking tragedy that has claimed the lives of thousands. Having a bureau in Kathmandu meant that Al Jazeera was well placed to report on the situation in the immediate aftermath of the quake. We will remain committed to telling Nepal’s human stories of survival, rescue and recovery in the weeks to follow, and will be there every step of the way as the country rebuilds itself.”

With five teams deployed across Nepal, Al Jazeera’s in-depth coverage of the earthquake aims to document all aspects of the disaster and provide viewers with constant updates.