KATMANDU, Nepal — The first supplies of food aid began reaching remote, earthquake-shattered mountain villages in Nepal on Wednesday, while thousands clamored to board buses out of Katmandu, either to check on rural relatives or for fear of spending yet another night in the damaged capital.
Frustration over the slow delivery of humanitarian aid boiled over in a protest in the city, with about 200 people blocking traffic and facing off with police.
The protest was comparatively small and no demonstrators were detained. But it reflected growing anger over bottlenecks that delayed much needed relief four days after a powerful earthquake killed more than 5,000 people, injured twice that many, and left tens of thousands homeless. Police, meanwhile, arrested dozens of people on suspicion of looting or causing panic by spreading rumors of another big quake.
Helicopters finally brought food, temporary shelter, and other aid to hamlets north of Katmandu in the mountainous Gorkha district, near the epicenter of Saturday’s 7.8-magnitude quake. Entire clusters of homes there were reduced to piles of stone and splintered wood. Women greeted the delivery with repeated cries of, ‘‘We are hungry!’’
While the death toll in the village of Gumda was low — only five people were killed and 20 injured among 1,300 residents — most had lost their homes and desperately needed temporary shelter, along with the 90-pound sacks of rice that were delivered Wednesday. Adding to residents’ misery was the rain, which has fallen periodically since the quake and hampered helicopter aid flights.
The UN World Food Program warned that it will take time for food and other supplies to reach more remote communities that have been cut off by landslides.
‘‘More helicopters, more personnel, and certainly more relief supplies, including medical teams, shelter, tents, water, sanitation, and food, are obviously needed,’’ said Geoff Pinnock, who was coordinating the flights.
With more than 8 million Nepalese affected by the earthquake, including 1.4 million who need immediate food assistance, the effort will continue for months, Pinnock said.
President Obama called Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and discussed US military and civilian efforts already underway, the White House said.
Police said the official death toll in Nepal had reached 5,266 as of late Wednesday. That figure did not include the 19 people killed at Mount Everest — five foreign climbers and 14 Nepalese Sherpa guides — when the quake unleashed an avalanche at a base camp.
At least 210 foreign trekkers and residents stranded in the Lantang area north of Katmandu had been rescued, government administrator Gautam Rimal said. The area, which borders Tibet, is popular with tourists.
In Katmandu, where most buildings were spared complete collapse, many residents continued to camp in parks and other open spaces.
But people were starting to leave tent cities like those in Katmandu’s Tudikhel area. Anop Bhattachan and more than two dozen relatives have been sleeping on the field since Saturday, but now want to get out of the city, he said.
Thousands waited at bus stations in Katmandu, hoping to reach their hometowns in rural areas. Some wanted to check on family and loved ones, while others were fearful of more aftershocks in the city.
‘‘I am hoping to get on a bus, any bus, heading out of Katmandu,” said Raja Gurung, who wanted to get to his home in western Nepal. “I am too scared to be staying in Katmandu. The house near my rented apartment collapsed. It was horrible. I have not gone indoors in many days. I would rather leave than live a life of fear in Katmandu.’’
Despite Wednesday’s small protest, there were signs that life was inching back to normal in the capital. Banks opened for a few hours and refilled their ATMs with cash, some shops reopened, and vendors returned to the streets.
Even though Nabin and Laxmi Shrestha remained frightened about aftershocks, the husband and wife have reopened their tea shop.
‘‘I’m scared, but people are hungry,” Laxmi Shrestha said. “We need to feed them.’’
Planes carrying food and other supplies have been steadily arriving at Katmandu’s small airport, but the aid distribution process remains fairly chaotic, with Nepalese officials having difficulty directing the flow of emergency supplies.
A man who was freed after being trapped for 82 hours in a collapsed hotel gave details of his ordeal, saying he drank his own urine to survive.
‘‘I had some hope, but by yesterday I’d given up,’’ Rishi Khanal said from his hospital bed Wednesday. ‘‘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.’’
The 27-year-old Khanal, whose foot was crushed under the debris, said he was surrounded by bodies and kept banging on the rubble until a French rescue team pulled him out.
‘‘I am thankful,’’ he said.