Nepal Earthquake 2015 Death Toll Latest News: U.S. Marines Begin Relief Operations, Death Toll Nears 7,000

American Marines, backed up by aircraft and heavy equipment, started arriving in Nepal on Saturday as the U.S. launched its relief operation to help Nepal cope with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake which struck the Himalayan country last week.

The death toll from the 7.8 magnitude quake reached 6,655 on Saturday with more than 14,000 people injured. Nepal's worst disaster in history also rendered homeless hundreds of thousands of people in the capital Kathmandu and villages across the country. The United Nations has said 8 million of Nepal's 28 million people were affected by the quake. At least 2 million people are living and sleeping roofless on the ground and they need tents, water, food and medicines over the next three months, the U.N. added.

Six U.S. military aircraft, including two helicopters, were expected to arrive on Saturday, accompanied by 100 Marines and lifting equipment, Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy of the U.S. Marine Corps told Reuters.

The U.S. military personnel would help manage the mounting piles of relief supplies clogging Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu.

The vital relief supplies for earthquake survivors are being held up by customs inspections at Kathmandu airport, a U.N. official said on Saturday.

U.N. Resident Representative Jamie McGoldrick said the Nepalese government must relax its normal customs restrictions to facilitate the flow of relief goods pouring in from abroad and piling up at the airport.

In response, the Nepalese government defended the customs restrictions, complaining that it has been receiving such unneeded supplies as tuna and mayonnaise, compelling customs agents to check all emergency shipments so that only those items needed by the survivors are taken.

Nepalese Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat appealed on Friday to international donors to send tents, tarpaulins and basic food supplies, saying some of the items they received were of no use. "We have received things like tuna fish and mayonnaise. What good are those things for us? We need grains, salt and sugar," he told reporters.

Nepalese officials said efforts to speed up the delivery of relief supplies to remote areas are being hampered by a shortage of supply trucks and drivers, many of whom had returned to their villages to help their families.

"Our granaries are full and we have ample food stock, but we are not able to transport supplies at a faster pace," said Shrimani Raj Khanal, a manager at the Nepal Food Corp.

Instant noodles and biscuits have been air-dropped by army helicopters to remote communities but people need rice and other ingredients to cook a proper meal, Khanal said.

Meanwhile, the Vatican has donated $100,000 to the people of Nepal. The Vatican's Pontifical Council Cor Unum pointed out that the aid is "a first and immediate concrete expression of spiritual closeness and paternal encouragement for the people and the affected areas" on behalf of Pope Francis.

The donation will be channeled directly to a local church in Nepal. Cor Unum is the Vatican council assigned to organize and coordinate humanitarian aid in times of natural disasters and crises.

One of the poorest countries in Asia with a 27- to 28-million population, Nepal has yet to receive the millions of dollars pledged by foreign donors.

"Not a single dollar has been deposited into government accounts," said Finance Minister Mahat.

"So, I don't say that it will not come. It will take some time but as of now the government's entire operation is entirely funded by the government's own internal resources," he added.

An amount of $415 million is needed for the humanitarian relief. As of April 30, data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs showed that three million are in need of food aid while 24,000 have been living in makeshift camps.