Nepalese official: Up to 15,000 may have died in earthquake

Gen. Gaurav Rana, the army chief leading Nepal's rescue efforts after the weekend's devastating earthquake, told NBC News that the recovery estimates "are not looking good."

Rana believes that between 10,000 and 15,000 people were killed in the 7.8-magnitude quake. So far, 5,800 deaths have been officially reported.

"There is unrest, and we are watching it," Rana told NBC News, referring to the country's public outrage about the slowness of Nepal's recovery efforts. "Yes, there is the threat of an epidemic, and we are watching it." Protesters gathered on Wednesday outside Nepal's parliament, asking the government to improve its search and rescue programs.

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