As news of the massacre in Nepal emerged, websites quickly became inundated, and among the first to be quoted as a source by news agencies. A worried diaspora was trying to find out what had happened. The huge flow of e-mails and discussion room traffic is perhaps a sign that the internet has finally come of age in one of the world's poorest countries. E-mails flood in Nepal's capital Kathmandu now boasts several small internet cafes but, significantly, they are affordable. There are at least four internet service providers or ISPs facilitating the service in Kathmandu.
Correspondents say the internet is slowly spreading to other urban areas too.
As people mourned their departed royals, the e-mails from Nepal flooded into BBC News Online. All this is a very sad affair. The Nepalese royal massacre may have plunged the country into uncertainty, but its enhanced presence on the internet has given the Himalayan kingdom a higher profile. Search for Nepal now and hundreds of entries will show up on your monitor. Bangladeshi PM warns on economy Captive French reporter 'well' Pakistan war insurance plea Links to more South Asia stories are at the foot of the page.