Nearly 1,000 are known to have died in a powerful earthquake in Nepal, with many more feared trapped under rubble, officials say.
The government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. A national police spokesman told the BBC that 970 people had died in the quake, and that more than 1,700 had been injured. At least 539 people were killed in the Kathmandu valley, he added.
The 7.8 magnitude quake struck an area between the capital, Kathmandu, and the city of Pokhara, the US Geological Survey said. Tremors were felt across the region, with further loss of life in India, Bangladesh, Tibet and on Mount Everest.
Nepali Information Minister Minendra Rijal said there had been "massive damage" at the epicentre, from where little information is emerging.
Rescuers are digging through the rubble of collapsed buildings in the capital trying to reach survivors, as thousands prepare to spend the night outside as darkness fell.
A number of historic buildings have been destroyed. Among those wrecked was the landmark Dharahara tower, with many feared trapped in its ruins.
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After the earthquake struck, frightened residents came out into the streets. Mobile phones and other communications have been disrupted.
At least 35 people have been killed in India, Indian officials say, with one death also reported in Bangladesh. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met his 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 all but destroyed Kathmandu.
