A 7.8 magnitude earthquake has struck Nepal at 11:46am local time. The epicenter of the earthquake, which hit at a depth of approximately 15 kilometres, struck in an area between the Nepalese capital Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara.

There are reports of significant numbers of injuries and unconfirmed reports of fatalities, with buildings and monuments reported collapsed throughout the capital Kathmandu. Extensive damage is also feared in the many villages nearer the epicentre of the earthquake.

CARE’s humanitarian workers on the ground in Nepal are currently assessing the situation and determining immediate needs.

CARE has worked in Nepal since 1978, with programs focused on areas including food Security, HIV/AIDS, health, education, water and sanitation, and the empowerment of women and girls. CARE’s past responses to emergencies in Nepal have included response to massive landslides in Nepal’s Sindhupalchowk district in August 2014.

CARE’s emergency response teams specialise in providing life-saving food, water, shelter and health care. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing life-saving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE, which works in 90 countries around the world, places a special focus on women, children and other vulnerable populations, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. In 2014, our emergency response and recovery projects reached nearly four million people in 40 countries.

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