Red Cross aid workers arrive in Nepal

British Red Cross aid workers are arriving in the region to assess the damage wreaked by the devastating 7.9 scale earthquake, which struck just outside the Nepalese capital on Saturday.

These teams will join British Red Cross and International Federation of the Red Cross teams already in Nepal to help coordinate relief effort on the ground.

Aid is being sent to Nepal from Red Cross regional warehouses in Kuala Lumpur and Dubai and will be distributed to the thousands of people affected by the quake.

The British Red Cross is also deploying two psycho-social support volunteers to join UK Foreign Office staff who are providing consular assistance to British nationals in Nepal who have been caught up in the disaster

Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross said: "As the death toll continues to rise it is our absolute priority to continue the search and rescue operations and get aid to those left stranded.

"The Red Cross has been working in the Kathmandu valley for the last three years, informing communities of what to do in the event of an earthquake. But though many of the newer buildings have survived, the older infrastructure was not able to withstand the force of the earthquake.

"Our thoughts go out to all those affected and we urge people to give to our emergency appeal to support Red Cross staff and volunteers to respond."

The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) has already pledged £2m to the British Red Cross Nepal Earthquake Appeal, which will fund urgently needed relief including food, safe drinking water, emergency shelter and medical equipment.

The earthquake was felt as far as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Tibet.

Support is also being offered to those who have lost contact with family members following the earthquake via the International Committee of Red Cross' family links website: http://familylinks.icrc.org/nepal-earthquake/en/Pages/Home.aspx

The public can contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 0207 008 0000