The Hindu Council in the United Kingdom has appealed to all Hindu temples and organisations in Britain to reach out to victims of the South Asian earthquake to help alleviate their suffering.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this terrible catastrophe," Dr Jagdish Sharma, chairman of the HCUK trust, said in a statement on Thursday night. "We urge the community to follow the lead of the Hindu humanitarian organisation Sewa International, which has experience in the relief, rehabilitation and long-term development of disaster victims and disaster-affected areas in Asia."

Anil Bhanot, general secretary of the Council said, "Perhaps this spate of natural disasters point to a pertinent message, that the whole world is one family in the old Vedic adage, vasudhaiva kutumbkam, since it would seem that only in such a catastrophe can man transcend ethnic and religious differences and reach a state of unity that cares for all."

Shantibhai Patel, chair of Sewa International was quoted as saying that volunteers are being mobilised by his organisation to go to Kashmir and a relief fund has also been set up in the UK.

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