Kathmandu  - At least 23 people have died in the collapse of a church in eastern Nepal, police said Wednesday.

Four children were among the dead and 60 other people were injured, they said.

The bamboo and corrugated iron building in Dharan, 400 kilometres east of Kathmandu, collapsed during the night.

The website nepalnews. com reported that around 1,800 people had gathered in the building for a seminar that began Monday. (dpa)