On 25 April, an earthquake with of 7.8 magnitude and a depth of 2 km, hit Nepal near the capital city of Kathmandu. The epicentre is located 81km northwest of Kathmandu, and 68km east from Pokhara.

As of 20:20 local time, 25 April, at least 876 people have died, 242 of them in Kathmandu. At least 2,000 people have been injured, the number of casualties is expected to increase dramatically as information is collected. At least 18 aftershocks have been felt. Magnitudes of some aftershocks have ranged from 5–6.6.

Hospitals are overwhelmed, and as aftershocks continue, victims are being treated in the streets. Reports suggest people are still trapped under the rubble, and some affected areas have still to be reached.

Kathmandu (population: 2.5 million) is a densely populated area; many people live in buildings that cannot withstand a significant seismic event. 6.6 million people live within the affected areas.