No word from Montrealer Frdric Giasson after Nepal earthquake

Frdric Giassonwas on the Nepal stop of a trip around the world when a devastating earthquake hit outside of capital city Kathmandu over the weekend.

The 20-year-old Montreal man told father Antoine Giasson that he was preparing to head to Myanmar for a month on May 3. He has been on his trip since last July.

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But before that, the senior Giasson said, his son planned to head to Mount Everest with a pair of young men from Germany and the Czech Republic he had met on his travels.

The last time father Giasson and mother Stphanie Gauthierheard from Frdric was on April 5.

He told his parents he wouldn't have any method of communication during his trek to Everest.

Antoine Giasson said his son didn't share many of the intricacies of his trip in Nepal with his parents ahead of time.

"At this age they don't always tell everything to their parents," he said.

Because of his scheduled flight on May 3, Antoine Giasson saidit's likely his sonwas somewhere between the base camp and Kathmandu at the time of the earthquake and avalanche.

The elder Giasson said he was away for the weekend without access to the internet or a television, and only understood the depth of the events in Nepal Monday morning.

He said he was optimistic his son would get in touch soon.

Earthquake triggers Everestavalanche

The death toll in Nepal and surrounding regionsis at 4,000 and counting. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake was centred in Nepal'sGorkharegion, northwest of capital city Kathmandu.

A 6.7-magnitude aftershock on Sunday caused more death and destruction in the region.

Anavalanche on Mount Everest which is northeast of Kathmanduwas triggered by the tremors.

At least 17 people died in the avalanche, and others were injured.

April is high tourist season on Mount Everest.

Climber Alex Gavanis at Mount Everest and has been tweeting about the after-effects of the avalanche.