Mount Everest
© BigStock Mount Everest
An earthquake measuring 7.8 in magnitude rocked Nepal today—killing over 1,400 people—and triggered an avalanche on Mt. Everest that has left at least 18 climbers dead at the South Base Camp and an unknown number missing or trapped.

With the climbing season in full swing, 700 climbers are in the region and over 300 are on the mountain itself, according to the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

"The avalanche apparently happened between the Khumbu Icefall and base camp," Ang Tshering of the Nepal Mountaineering Association reported to Sky News.

Everest ER posted on Facebook: "A huge avalanche off Pumori covered many tents in base camp. Many of our friends in base camp have been seriously injured and killed. With the help of nearly every able bodied friend in base camp, we moved our clinic to the IMG camp where we are caring for patients. We very limited communications at the moment. Pray for Nepal, friends. Namaste."

Carsten Lillelund Pedersen, a 45-year-old from Denmark who was in base camp at the time of the avalanche, told NBC News that he hid behind a rock until the avalanche had passed. He reports that his group has constructed a makeshift hospital in their base camp dining tent to treat the injured.

"We are treating casualties—like smaller fractures to the head, shoulder injuries, etc," he said to NBC via a Facebook interview.

Climbers in Camp 1, above the Khumbu Icefall, report being safe, as well as all teams on Annapurna, known for avalanches and closer to the center of the earthquake.

The epicenter struck between Kathmandu and Pokhara, according to the US Geological Survery. A number of historical buildings, including Kathmandu's landmark Dharahara tower and other Unesco world heritage sites, were destroyed.

It is the worst earthquake to hit Nepal in 81 years.


More information to follow

UPDATE:
#everest #earthquake Update: US female mountaineer Melissa Arnot and her team are safe on south side

— Ivan Braun (@ivanbraun) April 25, 2015
#Everest base camp has hit extremely hard, 18 bodies recovered many missing and injured. Climbers need heli evacuation. #NepalQuake

— Northmen PK (@NorthmenPK) April 25, 2015
#Everest rescue operation is on hold, as per reports 6 helicopters are holding in Lukla to launch rescue mission. #NepalQuake

— Northmen PK (@NorthmenPK) April 25, 2015