Tri-Service

Thousands Take Part in Vigil For Nepal

The government has announced it will give another £5 million to the relief effort in Nepal, bringing Britain's contribution to £15m.

The British effort includes an RAF plane, which is en route to Nepal carrying aid and 15 Gurkhas from 36 Engineer Regiment.

Last night a candle-lit vigil was held in London's Trafalgar Square, meanwhile.

'Pray for Nepal' was organised by London Universities' Nepali Society, which represents leading universities in the UK.

The Nepalese government says as many as 10,000 people may have died in Saturday's massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks.

International help is slowly reaching the country but efforts are being badly hampered by impassable roads, a lack of helicopters and congestion at Kathmandu airport.

Thousands of people are trying to get out of the Nepalese capital while aid and rescue flights wait to land.

The logjam has seen a number of planes being forced to turn back, among them four Indian Air Force aircraft flying in from Delhi.

The Nepali prime minister, meanwhile, has announced that the Himalayan country is effectively "on a war-footing", with the entire army and police force involved in the search and rescue operation, and some eight million people affected by the disaster.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust provides financial, medical and community aid to the Gurkhas and their families. The Trust chairman is the former head of the Army, General Sir Peter Wall who has been speaking to Forces TV:

To donate to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal please click here. If you want to know more facts about the Gurkhas it's here.