A powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake has struck Nepal less than 50 miles from the capital of Kathmandu, the U.S. Geological Survey said Saturday. It occurred at a shallow depth of about six miles.

The shaking was perceived by people who contacted the USGS as "severe" to "violent," nearly the highest rating on the intensity scale. Tremors were felt as far as New Delhi, more than 200 miles away in neighboring India.

Physical shaking was rated as "strong" to "severe" on the USGS ShakeMap. CNN sister network CNN-IBN is reporting that buildings are down and roads are out.

IBN reporter K. Dhiksit looked out his Kathmandu window to see many walls of buildings down. As he watched an aftershock shook his street. He heard "big booming sounds." Many people ran out onto the streets, he said.

Meanwhile, Indian PM Narendra Modi called for an emergency meeting to discuss the situation at 3pm Indian Time.

Al Jazeera reported that several ancient temples have also been damaged in Kathmandu. Many houses were reported to have been reduced to rubble.

(Foreign Media)