More than 1,800 people are known to have died in a powerful earthquake that struck Nepal, wrecking many historic buildings, officials have said.
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Nepal earthquake: More than 1,800 dead
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake centered less than 50 miles from Kathmandu rocked Nepal with devastating force killed more than 1,800 people.
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The quake measured 7.9 and struck an area between the capital Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara, the US Geological Survey said.
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.
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"We need support from the various international agencies which are more knowledgeable and equipped to handle the kind of emergency we face now," said Information Minister Minendra Rijal.
Bodies have been pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings in Kathmandu.
Among those wrecked was the landmark Dharahara tower, with many feared trapped in its ruins.
After the earthquake struck, concerned residents came out into the streets. Mobile phones and other communications have been disrupted.
There are also reports of damage to the airport in the capital. Injured people have been brought to the main hospital.
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"It was very scary. The earth was moving... I am waiting for treatment but the [hospital] staff are overwhelmed," a labourer who injured his arm in a collapsing wall told AP.
With little known about the extent of the damage around the earthquake's epicentre, there are fears the death toll could rise.
Aftershocks continued to ripple through the region hours after.
Mountaineer Alex Gavan tweeted that the quake caused an avalanche on Mount Everest.
Casualties have also been reported in Bangladesh and India.
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held meeting with ministers to review the situation. Pakistan's Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has pledged help for the Nepalese authorities.
It is the worst earthquake to strike Nepal since one in 1934 which all but destroyed Kathmandu.
Source: BBC
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