Nepal Earthquake Update: Man Rescued After Being Trapped for 82 Hours

Twenty seven year old Rishi Khanal was rescued from a collapsed building in Kathmandu following a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that has claimed over 5000 lives.

Khanal was trapped alongside 3 other dead bodies in the second floor of a 7 storey apartment and had to drink his own urine to stay alive.

He was rescued by a team of French and Nepali workers and spoke of the horrors of being surrounded by dead bodies as they started to decompose.

Khanal in an interview to Associated Press said, "I had some hope but by yesterday I'd given up."

"My nails went all white and my lips cracked...I was sure no one was coming for me. I was certain I was going to die."

"There was no sound going out, or coming in." he said.

"I kept banging against the rubble and finally someone responded and came to help. I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink so I drank my own urine."

Rescuers were alerted of his presence when he started banging frantically and it took the team more than 5 hours to get him out to safety.

He said, "There was no sound going out, or coming in. I kept banging against the rubble and finally someone responded and came to help."

Dr Akhilesh Shrestha who treated Khanal said his survival can be attributed to "sheer willpower."

Khanal will be later wheeled in for surgery to treat a broken leg but is expected to make a full recovery.

He signed off by saying, "It feels good. I am thankful."