Nepali Information Minister Minendra Rijal said there had been "massive damage" at the epicentre, from where little information is emerging.
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.
Breaking News: 7.5 magnitude earthquake has struck in Kathmandu and all other parts of Nepal. According to U.S. Geological Survey, earthquake occurred less than 50 miles from the capital city Katmandu.
Watch Exclusive footage from Nepal television of powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake. "We need support from the various international agencies which are more knowledgeable and equipped to handle the kind of emergency we face now," Information Minister Minendra Rijal.The death toll from Saturday earthquake in Nepal has climbed to 800, according to government officials. Hundreds others have been feared dead in earthquake. The government has declared a state of national emergency in a move to expedite the rescue operation. An emergency meeting of the cabinet took a decision to this effect. People are staying outdoors as tremors are still being felt.A deadly 7.9 magnitude quake with epicenter at Gorkha district killed over 1500 persons and levelled many historical monuments and buildings across the country on Saturday.
