A part of a makeshift church in eastern Nepal, housing a large number of people, collapsed, killing at least 23, officials said.

The incident, in which about 65 people also were injured, occurred Tuesday night in the town of Dharan in Sunsari district, Nepalnews.com reported.

Authorities said four children were among those killed when the tin roofed-structure at Victoria Chowk collapsed. The injured were taken to a hospital in Dharan.

Nepalnews reported those staying at the facility had come to participate in a seminar.

A CNN report put the number of those staying at the facility at about 700.

"Some of them were sleeping and others were preparing to sleep when the floor of the upper story gave way and collapsed," a police official said. "Those killed were from the lower ground floor."

"Besides overcrowding, the rain during the day also added to the weight of the roof of the dormitory," said Moses Rai, an organizer of the conference.

The Himalayan republic is predominantly Hindu and Christians form a small minority, CNN said.