International volunteers and charities are on their way to Nepal following yesterday's earthquake which has left more than 2,500 people dead.

100 Irish citizens are understood to have been caught up in the incident.

The Department of Foreign Affairs says contact has been established with many of these people - however it is warning that this is taking time due to the impact on the communications network in the devastated country.

The Department established an emergency Consular Response Team yesterday, and anyone who is concerned about family or friends can contact 01 478 0822.

Médecins Sans Frontières is sending additional medical and non-medical teams to assist victims on the ground.

Their Director is Jane-Anne McKenna:

Officials in Nepal are urging nations to send aid in the wake of the disaster - the worst the area has seen in more than 80 years.

Eoghan Rice is from Trócaire. He says people on the ground are braced for the death toll to rise following this morning's aftershock:

People left homeless by the earthquake are spending a second night out in the open after the devastating tremor killed at least 2,500.

Mass cremations have been taking place all day as those left alive struggle to cope with the number who lost their lives.

The official death toll in the capital Kathmandu rose to 1,152 people but hundreds more are known to have died across the rest of the country after the 7.9 magnitude quake struck on Saturday.

The Kathmandu Post reported that up to 70% of houses in rural areas have been destroyed close to the epicentre in Gorkha.

Further fatalities were reported in India, Bangladesh and Tibet but there are fears the death toll will rise much further as rescue teams reach isolated areas.

On Sunday, a series of aftershocks - one of 6.7 - sent frightened residents in the devastated Kathmandu Valley running for open ground once again.

Rescue teams were forced to briefly pause, halting their frantic search for survivors among the rubble of flattened houses and temples across the country.

"Massive aftershock. A wall of a old house next to mine has collapsed now. Kathmandu is in shock again. People on streets," one witness tweeted.

As the new tremor began Oxfam country director in Nepal Cecilia Keizer was forced to stop a live Sky News interview to run outside.

The aftershock also triggered fresh avalanches on Mount Everest, where at least 17 climbers were killed on Saturday – the worst-ever loss of life on the mountain.

The UK's Department for International Development announced it was increasing the amount of emergency aid it is donating to £5m (around €7m) while the EU pledged €3m and the US has also given $1m (around €920,000).

Pictures from the Kathmandu Valley showed a number of UNESCO protected temples which have collapsed.

Meanwhile, overflowing hospitals are struggling to cope, with doctors forced to treat many patients outdoors and medical supplies running low.

With the Nepalese government facing growing criticism over its response, international teams are stepping in to search and provide food and shelter to the homeless.

The UK has already deployed an eight-strong team to provide urgent humanitarian support and other countries, including India and Japan, are sending teams of emergency workers.

The quake, which hit about 50 miles (80km) east of the country's second city Pokhara, was Nepal's worst for 81 years and was particularly devastating as it occurred at a shallow depth of just seven miles.

Tremors were felt as far away as Pakistan and Bangladesh.