Countries and other donors told the United Nations today they were pledging an additional £300m (€440m) for Pakistani earthquake victims, but UN officials said it was unclear how much was going to combined emergency relief efforts.

The United Nations today nearly doubled its appeal for donations for victims of the south Asia earthquake to $550m (€455.7m) at a donors' conference.

Ministers and high-ranking officials from 65 United Nations member countries were to meet today in a new attempt to mobilise funds for the victims of south Asia’s devastating earthquake before winter sets in.