Some Slovenian doctors have also expressed readiness to help on the sport and the government will discuss financial aid to Nepal tomorrow.

Red Cross Slovenia has called for donations, which will be transferred directly to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), its secretary general Renata Brunskole told the press in Ljubljana on Tuesday.

She said this would be most effective way to set up urgent aid programmes. A total of EUR 7,000 has already been transferred to the IFRC from the Red Cross Slovenia's solidarity fund.

The IFRC has estimated that some 33.4 million Swiss francs will be needed to provide basic necessities such as food, water and tents for some 75,000 people.

Nepal's Consul General Aswin Kumar Shrestha said that many people live in the open due to the devastating earthquake.

He added that the Nepali authorities were trying to deliver food and water to them as well as provide them with basic necessities.

Caritas Slovenia, which has donated EUR 5,000 for first aid, also called for donations and added that the Caritas Internationalis network has already donated EUR 2.4m.

Funds can also be donated through UNICEF Slovenia's website, while the Slovenian government will discuss financial aid to Nepal on Wednesday.

Several medical professionals have contacted the Slovenian Foreign Ministry to join the rescue teams in Nepal, Andrej Šter of the ministry told the STA today.

He hopes that Slovenia's Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief will consider "these generous offers and try to organise a humanitarian mission".

According to Matej Planko of the Slovenian Mountaineering Association, Slovenians often visit Nepal. He said several trekking tours had recently been organised by Slovenian travel agents.

There are some 60 Slovenians currently in Nepal, two of which have still not contacted home, while rest are believed to be uninjured and safe.

The ministry advises all to return home as soon as possible, since the situation is still unstable and basic necessities are in short supply.

Nevertheless, a group of 22 trekkers have decided to complete their programme and return to Europe according to their original plan.

They are located in Pokhara, some 150 km north of Kathmandu, and will adapt their route on the go, depending on the situation, their guide Matjaž Berlot told the STA.

The quake victims count has already exceeded 5,000, while more than 10,000 were injured. The Nepali authorities fear the number of victims could rise to 10,000.