MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – Rescuers in Nepal are in a desperate battle against the clock as they search for any remaining survivors following this weekend’s devastating earthquake.

The death toll is now at 4,000 and rising. Officials say it could reach much higher.

Efforts to reach remote villages have been hampered by landslides that blocked mountain trails. Even in the more populated areas, very few people have been found alive.

In the midst of this chaos is a Huntsville woman, who was in Nepal on an art tour.  Her family in Madison County was worried, but heard from her Wednesday morning when she called to let them know she is alive.

Rachel Brown Matthews and other family members tried to contact anyone and everyone to find Beverly Brown. Rachel said she received an email and a voice mail message from her mother not long after the initial earthquake.

“She indicated that they were in a tough spot on the road to Tibet. She seemed somewhat upbeat that maybe somebody could help her,” she explained.

But then another quake struck, and Rachel didn’t hear from her again, until Wednesday, April 29.

Beverly Brown is there with a group on a month-long art study. They were traveling from Kathmandu towards Tibet.

Through social media, Rachel tracked down a relative of the tour guide who had some information.

“They were caught in between an avalanche and some destructed roads and that they needed emergency rescue help,” Rachel said, paraphrasing what she had heard.

Rachel recruited help from Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong, Congressman Mo Brooks, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby and Steve Raby to help with foreign policy and procedures.

Now that Rachel has talked with her mother, she continues to ask anyone who wants to help financially, to help the country of Nepal by contributing to WorldVision.org.