A powerful earthquake struck Nepal and sent tremors through northern India on Saturday, killing hundreds of people, toppling a 19th-century tower in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu and triggering a fatal avalanche on Mount Everest.
There were reports of devastation in outlying areas of the Himalayan country after the quake struck with a magnitude of 7.9, its epicentre 50 miles (80 km) east of Nepal's second largest city, Pokhara.
The worst quake to hit the impoverished Himalayan nation in 81 years also caused damage in neighbouring Indian states and Bangladesh. The quake was shallow, intensifying the amount of energy released over a relatively small area.
The tremors caused heavy damage to several buildings and roads in Kathmandu, trapping scores of people under the debris.
Text: Reuters