A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.8 has rocked Nepal, killing hundreds of people
It struck between the capital Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara
A Nepali minister says there has been "massive damage" at the epicentre
The landmark Dharahara tower is among buildings reduced to rubble in Kathmandu
Navin Singh Khadka from the BBC's Nepali service has family in the disaster zone. He told BBC World News he had been able to contact them, and that that were safe "but very scared because of the aftershocks". People are "still stressed, still scared and they are still trying to stay out in the open," he says.
Sanjoy Majumder
BBC News, Delhi
Officials in Nepal are struggling to assess the damage and extent of the earthquake whose epicentre was in an area northwest of Kathmandu. A number of buildings have collapsed in the capital including a historic nine-storey tower and many are trapped in the rubble. Hospitals are filling up rapidly as people are being brought in with injuries. But not much is known of the damage in remote areas with Gorkha, Lamjung and Bhaktapur said to be very badly affected. The tremors were also felt across northern and eastern India. A high level meeting is being held in Delhi to assess the situation and the Indian army and air force have been placed on standby to be sent to Nepal.
Image source, APWith its ancient culture and the Himalayas as a backdrop, landlocked Nepal has a romantic image. It is nonetheless one of the world's poorest countries, and is struggling to overcome the legacy of a 10-year Maoist insurrection. Learn more in BBC Monitoring's Nepal profile.
Sanjaya Dhakal
BBC Nepali
People are in the streets of Kathmandu and are very afraid. There have been very big aftershocks.
Image source, APThe latest images of the devastation show some buildings in Kathmandu reduced to rubble. Here people are standing around what is left of Durbar Square in the capital.
At least 108 people have been killed in the Nepal earthquake, officials in Kathmandu say.
Image source, TwitterReports are coming in of an avalanche sweeping the mountain near Everest base camp, external; casualties unclear.
Image source, AFPA powerful earthquake has rocked Nepal, wrecking buildings, injuring dozens of people and causing an unknown number of deaths, eyewitnesses say. The quake measured 7.9 and struck an area between the capital Kathmandu (above) and the city of Pokhara, external. Tremors were felt across the region, as far afield as Pakistan, Bangladesh and neighbouring India. A Nepali minister said there had been "massive damage" at the epicentre.
