Melbourne mother of two Renu Fotedar was killed in the deadly avalanche triggered on Mount Everest by the magnitude-7.9 Nepal earthquake, the ABC has confirmed.

The 49-year-old was last seen at the Everest base camp, and since the earthquake, friends and family had taken to social media in a desperate attempt to find her.

Trekking company Dreamers Destination confirmed to the ABC that Ms Fotedar had been killed and the company was trying to return her body to Kathmandu.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted for comment.

According to her social media profile, Ms Fotedar completed an MBA at the University of Wollongong before setting up a business in Melbourne in 2005.

She was born in Kashmir, in northern India, before she moved to Australia.

Her friend, Pooja Sharma, knew her through the Australian Kashmir community. She said her friend was an avid traveller.

"She died doing something she passionately wanted to do," she said.

"She always wanted to travel a lot and go trekking."

Ms Fotedar had recently moved to Switzerland with her family where she ran a business focusing on behavioural sciences and holistic healing.

Ms Sharma said Ms Fotedar was a spiritual person who was always full of energy.

"She is quite well known in the community because of all her efforts she made to bring everybody together," she said.

"Renu always had a very healthy discussion with people about how we should approach life."

Another friend of Renu's, Avinash Raina, said he was devastated at the news.

"Previously we were hopeful that we'll hear good news, but then we came to know that they have found the body and we were devastated. It is terrible and shocking news for all of us," he said.

He said he was lucky to have known her.

Sorry, this video has expired Australian mother among 18 killed in Mount Everest avalanche

"She was always giving. Whatever you ask her, she would love to share her thoughts and love to share her views and bring out the best in you," he said.

"She was like a coach I'd say and very compassionate person, very, very compassionate."

Ms Fotedar's husband has travelled to Nepal to recover her body.

She will be taken to India where her final rites will be held.

"We are completely in shock right now. It's so hard to believe we've lost her," Ms Sharma said.

Earlier on Monday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had said the Government held "grave fears" for an Australian citizen who was known to be on Everest during the earthquake.

While she could not provide any details about the Australian at the base camp, she said consular officials were working to confirm their identity.

"We have been able to confirm the safety of more than 850 Australians in the country," she said.

"I do hold grave fears for the welfare of an Australian who was known to be at the Mount Everest base camp where a number of deaths have occurred."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 2 minutes 49 seconds 2 m 49 s ABC reporter Siobhan Heanue says hope of finding survivors in Nepal rubble is fading.

Deadliest disaster in Everest's history

An avalanche was triggered on the mountain after the powerful earthquake struck Nepal on Saturday.

A magnitude-6.7 aftershock then hit the region shortly after, triggering more avalanches on Mount Everest.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 6 minutes 56 seconds 6 m Amateur videos give an insight into the destruction in the moments after the Nepal earthquake struck

Climber Jim Davidson said he felt the aftershock at Camp 1 on Everest.

"Just had our biggest aftershock yet here at C1 on Everest. Smaller than original quake but glacier shook & avalanches," he tweeted.

At least 18 people who were staying at the Everest base camp have been confirmed dead as a result, making the event the deadliest disaster in Everest's history.

It comes almost exactly a year after an avalanche killed 16 Sherpa guides, forcing the season to be cancelled.

The official death toll from the Nepal earthquake has exceeded 3,800 and the government fears it could go past 5,000.

The US Geological Survey said another magnitude-5.1 earthquake struck on Monday in the Indian state of West Bengal, causing people to rush out of their homes.

Five hundred and fifty Australians are registered on the Smart Traveller website and Ms Bishop said DFAT had taken over 1,400 calls from family and friends of missing Australians.

Ms Bishop said a nine-person crisis response team was on its way to Nepal to establish the number of Australians in the country and help provide humanitarian assistance.

"They will assist in the safety and welfare of Australians who remain unaccounted for," she said.

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