A powerful earthquake centred in Nepal has killed at least 1,340 people across four countries, flattening houses and temples as well as triggering an avalanche on Mount Everest.
The magnitude 7.9 quake was the strongest to hit Nepal in 80 years, according to police, and tremors could be felt hundreds of miles away in northern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Tibet.
At least 300 people were reported in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu and 634 in the Kathmandu Valley.
The Nepalese government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas, and is appealing to the international community for help.
Emer Mullins of Oxfam Ireland says there are scenes of mass devastation and hospitals are overwhelmed:
Zubin Zaman is co-ordinating Oxfam's response to the quake from their base in Culcatta. The tremor was felt there and in other neighbouring areas.
He says aftershocks are continuing in Nepal's capital city Kathmandu:
The Minister for Foreign Affairs has offered his sympathies to those affected by the Earthquake.
Charlie Flanagan says his Department is working through our Embassy in New Delhi to provide assistance to any Irish affected.
Minister Flanagan says anyone concerned about friends or family in the region can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs on 01-418-0200.
The quake, which was relatively shallow - making it more powerful - toppled Kathmandu's iconic nine-storey Dharahara tower, with rescuers left scrambling to reach some 50 people reported to have been trapped under the rubble.
Earlier police removed around a dozen bodies from the 19th Century UNESCO-recognised monument, also known as the Bhimsen Tower.
Deaths have also been reported across Nepal's borders. At least 34 people, including a 15-year-old girl, have been killed in India, 12 in Tibet and two in Bangladesh. Two Chinese citizens died at the Nepal-China border.
Pokhara
The quake struck 80km (50 miles) east of the popular tourist town of Pokhara shortly before noon local time. It was followed by a magnitude 6.6 aftershock and others tremors hours later.
Little is yet known about the extent of damage to Pokhara, but in the densely-populated city of Kathmandu hospitals are struggling to cope.
Televised images from outside the city's main hospital show the injured being forced to wait outside on the street for treatment.
The quake also triggered a "huge avalanche" on Mount Everest, leaving at least 10 climbers dead.
Mountaineer Alex Gavan tweeted from Mount Pumori: "Everest base camp huge earthquake then huge avalanche from pumori.
"Running for life from my tent. Unhurt. Many many people up the mountain."
Another climber, Daniel Mazur, said Everest base camp had been "severely damaged" and his team was trapped.
"Please pray for everyone," he tweeted.
In Kathmandu, a number of centuries-old temples have been destroyed and there are unconfirmed reports that the densely-populated city's main airport has closed, according to reports.
Nepal's Information Minister Minendra Rijal has told India's NDTV station that rescue teams are at the scene.
"It was a pretty massive earthquake here, the strongest I've ever felt in my life," photojournalist Nayantara, who is in Pokhara, told Sky News.
"There is quite a lot of damage. The building I was in has quite a lot of cracks in it," she said.
Another witness tweeted: "LOTS of shaking. Hid under table, then ran outside. Still feel like swaying. Cables/walls down."
"Lots of panic, people wandering in the streets," @jonk said, adding that people were gathering in the middle of an intersection to avoid falling debris.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "We are in the process of finding more information and are working to reach out to those affected, both at home & in Nepal."
