Aid agency World Jewish Relief has launched an emergency appeal for the victims of the Nepal earthquake.

Over 2,000 people are thought to have been killed in the disaster which devastated the Himalayan country, with the death toll expected to rise over the coming days.

WJR is calling for donations to help it provide food, fresh water, shelter and medical supplies.

Paul Anticoni, WJR chief executive, said: “This is a catastrophic natural disaster and we must respond immediately. As Jews we feel a deep responsibility to help those beyond our community at this time of huge crisis. World Jewish Relief is calling on the British Jewish community to dig deep as usual to do all we can to help.”

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.9, hit on Saturday, leaving parts of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu in ruins and causing avalanches on Mount Everest in which 17 people died, the worst ever disaster on the mountain. The government declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance.

Powerful aftershocks were felt in Nepal and India and Bangladesh on Sunday.